# Valhalla 2 review coming soon!



## Rusty143

I have just purchased a Schiit Valhalla 2 amp to power my Sennheiser HD 600 headphones. I am currently running the headphones through an iPhone 5. Yup, high end stuff! I have a good speaker based system and am just growing into headphones. If you are like me, and have read endlessly on these forums and others, then you must also be feeling that a review of the Valhalla 2 is needed. 

I will base my review on my experience of what I know good sound reproduction to be. I base it on the artist(s) being present in my room; that's a long story made short. 

I have owned a tube power amp for 20+ years and have pretty good experience with tube rolling. 

Stay tuned!!!


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## HPiper

Mine will be here Thursday. Replacing a Little Dot Mk3. I am pretty sure this is going to be a huge improvement in sound quality. In terms of tube rolling, does the model 2 take the same tubes that the model 1 does?


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## Rusty143

Good tuff! Looking forward to hearing your thoughts. 

The Valhalla 2 uses the same tubes as the Valhalla 1. 

The 6n1p tubes are rollable with ant 6dj8 variant. Lots of new production tubes and some NOS (new old stock.... Not used tubes from the era they were produced. In the case of the 6dj8, late 1950s to early 70s are considered nos). 

My Valhalla is on its way from California. Will post when it gets here. 

Happy listening.


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## Vitalstatistix

Enjoy your Valhalla 2!


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## HPiper

It is here...it is warmed up...I am going in...


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## Otheronek

hpiper said:


> It is here...it is warmed up...I am going in...


 






   This should be some good schiit!


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## HPiper

I have only just gotten into it and still have a few headphones I want to listen to through it, but I can say as Schiit alludes to on their website, it pairs extremely well with all my Sennhiesers. My favorite is the HD650 and HD700, this amp is perfect with both of those phones and probably close to the best I have ever heard them. I still need to try it with my T1, which I imagine it will do very well with, and my LCD2 which I don't think it will do very well with. More to come later.


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## grrorr76

I to am about to take the plunge on a schist audio amp. I am throwing up between the Valhalla 2 and the LYR. I have beer T1's can anyone tell me in simple terms what is different between the 2 amps . Is the LYR 2 worth the extra dough over the Valhalla . I can't seem to find a good comparison..


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## HPiper

I think with those headphones I'd go with the Valhalla 2. It is going to sound just as good and maybe just a bit better. It will save you $100 too. However if you plan on getting some other phones in the future and in particular some type of planar, then I'd get a Lyr as it is more versatile.


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## grrorr76

No 


hpiper said:


> I think with those headphones I'd go with the Valhalla 2. It is going to sound just as good and maybe just a bit better. It will save you $100 too. However if you plan on getting some other phones in the future and in particular some type of planar, then I'd get a Lyr as it is more versatile.


 
 No I plan on sticking with the beer t1's I love them a lot..  Can anyone elaborate a bit more about the combination the sound quality and any other interesting tidbits that might inform me about the Valhalla..   Also tube wise any suggestions for the ideal combination that would show it and my headphones of at there best?


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## Rusty143

Just posted a intro to myself and the Valhalla 2. Then lost it on an iPad. 3 hours of listening and writing gone. Anyone know how to recover that?


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## Rusty143

Arrrrrgggggg. Nothing like losing 2 hours of writing alone to start you review!!!!

I remiss. 

I have had the amp plugged in and warming up for about 90 minutes. I then played some music and got a very quick first impression, which was as it should be......perfect new tube amp enclosed and tight in sound. 

Try this------ Ever placed your headphones in your main listening/loudspeaker and played them quietly with a couple of friends at a quiet point in a night? Me neither. Until tonight when I was warming the whole headphone system up. Wow!!! If you have very good open back headphones, the sound they provide from a pure quality sense is crazy!!! Clean, accurate, present. 

I have listening to the VH2 for an hour, with headphones as prescribed by builder (on ears rather than table). 

Each few minutes that open up more and more. Sarah McLaughlin - afterglow. 

My interpretation is that the amp is now warmed up. Much bigger soundstage than first listen. Just waaayyy cool sound only 5 hours sound. Wow!!!!!!

Separation of instruments, decay of sound, relaxing of drivers still needed. 

Overall, 5 hours in, after all I have read and what I have expected, I am absolutely thrilled with how the VH2 sounds. If it gets better from this point, it will approach the level of sound quality that will allow me to listen music with renewed joy all over again. 

Stay tuned.


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## grrorr76

rusty143 said:


> Arrrrrgggggg. Nothing like losing 2 hours of writing alone to start you review!!!!
> 
> I remiss.
> 
> ...


 
 Thats very exciting for those of about to purchase one. Ill be interested to hear are these opinions based on the stock tubes or have you put some others in?


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## Rusty143

I am doing all of my listening, at this point, with the stock tubes so I can a good sense of the amp and any changes it may go through. I have a few types of 6DJ8 tubes that I will try once I feel it is fully broken in (Amperex Bugle Boys, PQs, Telefunkens, Mullards). I put 7 hours on the amp last night and will continue with more break in and listening today.


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## Otheronek

Any updates?


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## Rusty143

Sorry guys, busy weekend. I have about 20 hours on the amp now and it has definitely opened up. Sounds quite good, but I haven't had time for any long listening sessions to really dig in, so want to be fair and give the amp/ tubes a few more hous breakin and then give it a more critical listen. Will look at doing some tube rolling once I feel I know the character of the amp. Stay patient....more detailed feedback coming soon!


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## grrorr76

I took the plunge and ordered yesterday. When I get mine and have a few hours on it ill also present my thoughts.


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## HPiper

I am hoping mine opens up some more. I did a quick comparison with my Lyr last night and the Lyr is quite a bit better sounding. I don't know if the Valhalla 2 will ever equal the Lyr (1) but considering it has gotten all the upgrades and the Lyr is still the original I would think it should come fairly close eventually.


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## Rusty143

I have about 30 hours on my Valhalla 2. It has definitely opened to the point where I am now just starting to listen to music, rather than equipment. 

It's so close being able to disappear. But, at this point, it is that little bit of grain or frequency extremes that have not fully relaxed or opened up. That last little bit, for me, is the telling point. I think around 50 hours this amp/ new tubes combo should be hitting its stride. It is good now. If it does fully open up, it may just be an absolutely amazing little amp. 
20 hours of break-in to go.


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## grrorr76

My Valhalla 2 arrived today with my new cambridge dad what a freaking amazing difference over my previous setup of a maverick audio d1 plus. I finally can hear the beauty of my beer t1's what excites me even more the sound is just going to improve even more with some burn in time. I am really thrilled.


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## grrorr76

I am now 24hrs into burning in my Valhalla 2, bass is feeling a lot more controlled and less waffly . The High frequencies also feel more natural and smooth.  Its such a lovely amp, its getting better by the hr. I have electro harmonix and gold lion tubes on the way. With my Beyer T1's there sounding incredibly transparent and dynamic. 
  
  
 It will be interesting to roll them in and see how they effect the sound.  I should mention all the music I am playing are at least 24bit 96khz


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## terrapin13

Which Gold Lion tubes are you going to try with the Vahalla?  E88CC?
  
 Definitely interested in what tubes you roll and your impressions.  I have a Vahalla and just getting started trying out different tubes.


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## grrorr76

terrapin13 said:


> Which Gold Lion tubes are you going to try with the Vahalla?  E88CC?
> 
> Definitely interested in what tubes you roll and your impressions.  I have a Vahalla and just getting started trying out different tubes.


 
 The Genalex Gold Lion 6922/E88CC tubes  with Gold Pins
 the electro harmonic for the 6H30N i am getting the p version
 ill post my thoughts once i have them and have some hrs into them..
  
 I do have to say though the stock tubes are a lot better than I imagined.


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## terrapin13

grrorr76 said:


> The Genalex Gold Lion 6922/E88CC tubes  with Gold Pins


 
 Are you using (4) of those replacing the 6N1P and 6N6P stock tubes?


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## ckyr

I wonder if anybody has compared it to the original version.


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## grrorr76

terrapin13 said:


> Are you using (4) of those replacing the 6N1P and 6N6P stock tubes?


 
 probably replace all the stock ones see how I go. although as I said the stock ones sound really really nice. It will be an interesting exercise.  2 of each of the lectors and the gold lions are coming.


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## Syan25

How does the 2 compare with the original Valhalla


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## Rusty143

Haven't heard the original Valhalla. Tha amp has now really opened up. It is very detailed. Bass control is quite good and the treble is excellent . Soundstaging is also quite good. There is still a bit of grain, so I have swapped out the stock tubes and put some 1965 USN 6922 Amperex tubes in. Will give it a listen shortly.


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## FrZ-Fi

ckyr said:


> I wonder if anybody has compared it to the original version.




I too am very interested in comparisons between the original Valhalla and the 2. Particularly I would like to hear about comparisons using 300-600 ohm headphones since the old one wasn't even meant to play iem's and such


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## Syan25

It's hard to find a side by side comparison!


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## grrorr76

I took the plunge and have a pair of Telefunkan 6922 cca tubes for my valhalla 2 the ones made in ULM Germany. they are pretty much the holly grail and very very expensive. It will be very interesting to roll them into the amp. I believe they are gorgeous to listen to.
  
 In the mean time I am now a few days into using my Valhalla 2 with the stock tubes. I definitely concur with other reports here. It has definitely opened up a lot. It is just a magical pairing with my Beyer T1's. They are so balanced . The only thing that is frustrating is. In some source material I am finding the some higher frequencies a bit taxing on my ears. I hope this may be over come with the new tubes I intend to put in and a bit more burn in time on the amp and headphones. The T1's are only a few weeks old themselves so we shall see.


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## MustelaNivalis

Coming from the original I am currently breaking in a brand new Valhalla 2. Below is a very positive 2 cents about this successor from my side. The force is strong in this one. The main reason for buying the Valhalla 2 only a few months after buying the previous one, was my Shure SRH1840 with an impedance of only 65 Ohms. A damping factor of just over 2 times with the original Valhalla, was stretching it too much.
 The Shure SRH1840 has a modest bass with ground shaking foundation and I could always hear that via my Fostex HP-A3. The ground shaking element was weakened to say the least using the original Valhalla and is restored again using the Valhalla 2. The bass has more punch and control, not a big surprise looking at damping factor which is now over 18 in low gain mode. In my DIY past I used the thumb-rule of > 15.
 The sound of the Valhalla 2 has more clarity when compared to the original but this does not say it all. In combination with that clarity there is a warmth which I would like to describe as the sound signature of tubes. The Valhalla 2 seems to slow down time. You also get the impression of serene silence around you while listening to loud music. I think that description is more poetic than just saying it sounds darker black than before. In combination with the natural mids of the SRH1840, human voices become something special at this price point. Talking about human voices, I never heard more coherent and fluent transitions between dim and loud passages (Body and Soul, Lioness by Amy Winehouse, 44.1kHz 24bit).
 There is a change in the projection of the sound stage but I do not know exactly how to describe it. Bottom line, it is more realistic.
 I transferred my Cryoset tubes to the new amp: A 6N1P-EV Super Cryo matched pair and a russian 6N6P Gold Grid Cryo matched pair. The Valhalla 2 has much better focus and separation of instruments and voices than before. I think the new topology makes the amp less sensitive for the tolerance of the active components because the tubes are really the same. Focus benefits from narrow tolerances between channels (and the absence of feedback).
 Yes I am using the Fostex HP-A3 as a source, together with JRiver's standard crossfeed. An AudioQuest Sydney interconnect sits in between and the digital audio goes over a Carbon USB cable from the same brand (in my defence I would like to say that I do not want flipped PCM bits via isochronous USB transfers).
 I already preferred this Schiit over the Fostex phones output because of the wider stage and the more natural sound. The Valhalla 2 brings it to the next level.


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## Syan25

Thanks. I think I ought to take the plunge and get one!


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## grrorr76

syan25 said:


> Thanks. I think I ought to take the plunge and get one!


 
 best gift you will ever get yourself as a music lover. mine is glorious


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## grrorr76

Today I rolled in some platinum golden lion ecc88s and a pair of 6H30pi Electro Harmonix. Wow what a sound. I have been listening to the new 24bit remaster of Pink Floyd's Division Bell , spectacular , warm airy . With my Beyer T1's the highs also sound a lot more controlled and far less sibilant .
  
 The sound just envelops you. It feels like your in the room with the players. Its almost like another veil of detail has been revealed .  Lesson its worth spending some decent money on getting some great tubes as when you do you get the best from it.


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## Otheronek

grrorr76 said:


> Today I rolled in some platinum golden lion ecc88s and a pair of 6H30pi Electro Harmonix. Wow what a sound. I have been listening to the new 24bit remaster of Pink Floyd's Division Bell , spectacular , warm airy . With my Beyer T1's the highs also sound a lot more controlled and far less sibilant .
> 
> The sound just envelops you. It feels like your in the room with the players. Its almost like another veil of detail has been revealed .  Lesson its worth spending some decent money on getting some great tubes as when you do you get the best from it.


 

 So are the 6H30pi Electro Harmonix are on the output side?


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## grrorr76

otheronek said:


> So are the 6H30pi Electro Harmonix are on the output side?


 
 correct. They are quite a bit taller than the stock output tubes.


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## MustelaNivalis

I would really like to try a set of Gold Lion ECC88 tubes but will save my budget for a Bifrost Uber. And if I am planning to buy a Bifrost... an update must be due. Happened to me before just a few months after I purchased the Valhalla. No complains however, I think it is worth double the price and more. So until the Bifrost 2 becomes available, I might let the hifi-cat from next door play with my cryo tubes. I will report on any improvement to the sound...


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## grrorr76

the gold lions are very nice. Im soon adding some Telefunkan e88cc's and some mullard's as well it will be interesting to compare them.


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## grrorr76

I have now been burning in for about 50 hrs now with my gold lion and electro harmonic tubes. I can report the highs have settled down theres a nicer control in the bass. The amp is really sounding milky smooth now without that grating spike in the highs. One thing about this amp the hotter you can get it in my opinion the better it sounds . Before listing I like to leave it on for a few hours to let it hit its stride. Its giving me a head of pleasure. When burnt in with my beer T1's it just lovely.  I have some telefunkan e88cc tubes arriving this week it will be interesting to see how they sound to.


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## Syan25

Beer T1's??


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## Solrighal

syan25 said:


> Beer T1's??




Like Beyerdynamic but tastier.


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## grrorr76

solrighal said:


> Like Beyerdynamic but tastier.


 
 that auto correct will get you every time.


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## Syan25

I do wonder what T1 beer would taste like...hahaha!!!


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## grrorr76

syan25 said:


> I do wonder what T1 beer would taste like...hahaha!!!


 
 smooth and a bit creamy on top.


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## Syan25

I imagine it to be a blonde colored beer...


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## philiphotog

So I ordered my Valhalla 2 and Modi DAC. Is anyone use Senn 650 with this combination? I'm replacing my FiiO setup (E07k with a E09 Desktop amp) which sounds way to harsh with the 650.  Curious as I also have a Asgard 2 on order to compare with the Valhalla and would like to know someones who has the tube set up with the Senn's. I might not even unbox the Asgard 2 as I'm reading posts that favor the Valhalla 2 with the 650. Of course it's subjective but would like someone to chime in.


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## grrorr76

philiphotog said:


> So I ordered my Valhalla 2 and Modi DAC. Is anyone use Senn 650 with this combination? I'm replacing my FiiO setup (E07k with a E09 Desktop amp) which sounds way to harsh with the 650.  Curious as I also have a Asgard 2 on order to compare with the Valhalla and would like to know someones who has the tube set up with the Senn's. I might not even unbox the Asgard 2 as I'm reading posts that favor the Valhalla 2 with the 650. Of course it's subjective but would like someone to chime in.


 
 Go the Valhalla you won't regret it.   Just a note to all I just installed socket savers in my Valhalla 2 and I have to say the amp isn't getting nearly as hot. Before even the volume knob was getting very hot to the touch. Besides it looks cool having your tubes higher to besides the heat issue. I have also installed some decent feet to which is giving the amp some air under to.


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## cebuboy

grrorr76 said:


> Go the Valhalla you won't regret it.   Just a note to all I just installed socket savers in my Valhalla 2 and I have to say the amp isn't getting nearly as hot. Before even the volume knob was getting very hot to the touch. Besides it looks cool having your tubes higher to besides the heat issue. I have also installed some decent feet to which is giving the amp some air under to.


 
 The Valhalla 2 really does pair well with 300ohm Senns, glad that I got one. Where can we order those socket savers if you don't mind me askin?


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## Syan25

I'm hoping to pair it with my DT-880 (600ohms) as well as my HD600 (300 ohms) .. I think I won't regret the purchase - plus it will be my first tube amp


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## Solrighal

I'm also interested in the Valhalla 2. I use my HD 650's mostly and I keep reading of this headphones supposed synergy with valves so I'm intrigued. I'm currently using an O2 and I wonder if anyone is in a position to compare these amps.


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## philiphotog

Thank you. I will certainly give them a go and report back.


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## grrorr76

cebuboy said:


> The Valhalla 2 really does pair well with 300ohm Senns, glad that I got one. Where can we order those socket savers if you don't mind me askin?


 
 you have a few options tube depot sell basic ones and then you can get whiz bang ones from tube monger which I also have on order http://www.tubemonger.com/NOVIB_Socket_Saver_with_Vibration_Red_B9A_NOVAL_p/novib.htm   .


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## cebuboy

grrorr76 said:


> you have a few options tube depot sell basic ones and then you can get whiz bang ones from tube monger which I also have on order http://www.tubemonger.com/NOVIB_Socket_Saver_with_Vibration_Red_B9A_NOVAL_p/novib.htm   .


 
 Wow! $25 a piece? How about this one? https://www.tubedepot.com/products/9-pin-socket-saver
  
 Is that the one you got from Tube Depot?


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## lukeap69

solrighal said:


> I'm also interested in the Valhalla 2. I use my HD 650's mostly and I keep reading of this headphones supposed synergy with valves so I'm intrigued. I'm currently using an O2 and I wonder if anyone is in a position to compare these amps.


 
 Have you thought about considering Lyr 2? That will probably cover both your HD650 & Q701?


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## RedBull

Interested of comparison between V2 and Vali pleaseeee ... thank you


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## grrorr76

cebuboy said:


> Wow! $25 a piece? How about this one? https://www.tubedepot.com/products/9-pin-socket-saver
> 
> Is that the one you got from Tube Depot?


 
 Yeah I got both the cheap and the pricier ones. The tube monger ones claim increased tube performance so it shall be interesting to test those claims.
 The cheaper socket savers go very tightly into the sockets so you don't want to be pulling them out to much. Although as I said with the tubes elevated the Amp runs a lot cooler which is fantastic.


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## MustelaNivalis

After week burn-in: Fundamental frequencies seem to have more body. The Shure 1840 can now play D.O.A. (The Blueprint 3 by Jay-Z) without sounding too thin. During Well, Well, Well (Endlessly by Duffy) the laddie's voice is no longer a flute, but it has convincing texture. Brainless (The Marshall Mathers Lp 2 by Eminem) flows like a canoe through a wild river. Links 2 3 4 (Made in Germany 1995-2011 by Rammstein) is the warm shower promised on schiit.com. After my mood changed and I was willing to listen to more relaxed songs... The timing of Ayo singing Sunny (Ticket To The World) really hooked me. Tchaikovsky's Marche slave (Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Decca ADRM) was all about music and not about a somewhat older recording technology. Amazing how that composer keeps fascinating me. He makes me watch a ballet in the theatre with my eyes closed. Still, the possibility remains, the tube rolling done by the hifi-cat from next-door also contributed to this improved sound. To be honest I also compare the Valhalla 2 with the original one writing this. I only use the low-gain mode, since the high-gain is far less refined on my low impedance cans. So next to the Bifrost Uber, more tubes to choose from, I now also want high impedance cans to benefit from the lesser feedback in high-gain mode. Will it ever stop...


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## jerick70

Hey Everyone,
  
 I just pulled the trigger on a Valhalla 2.  What is the consensus on the best tubes to roll for this amp?  
  
 Also, has anyone been using Hifiman HE-400s with this amp.  What are your impressions?
  
 -J


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## grrorr76

jerick70 said:


> Hey Everyone,
> 
> I just pulled the trigger on a Valhalla 2.  What is the consensus on the best tubes to roll for this amp?
> 
> ...


 
 I am still rolling a few through but the genalex lions sound great once broken in. I have some ecc88 telefunkan's and mallards coming which shall be interesting. But there very expensive. The genalex lions are very reasonably priced and sound fantastic.


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## jerick70

I'm looking forward to hearing what your thoughts on the Telefunken's are.


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## MustelaNivalis

jerick70 said:


> Hey Everyone,
> 
> I just pulled the trigger on a Valhalla 2.  What is the consensus on the best tubes to roll for this amp?
> 
> ...


 
 I think it is too early for a consensus, not enough people are rolling the Valhalla 2 because it is too new.
  
 From a pure theoretical point of view: The low-gain mode you need to drive the HE-400 has more feedback than the high-gain mode. You could expect less audible effect from tube rolling since the feedback loop eliminates some tube characteristics that have to do with non-linearity. On the other hand, tubes that cause only a small delay between their in and output might sound noticeably better than slower ones when you apply feedback. The 6N1P is then slightly better than 6299, ECC88 and 6DJ8. The 6N6P is better than a 6N30 in this respect. So from this point of view: stick to the original ones.
  
 BTW, I replaced the original tubes by cryo-treated ones from the same type and have a hard time hearing the difference. Hopefully they last longer...


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## grrorr76

jerick70 said:


> I'm looking forward to hearing what your thoughts on the Telefunken's are.


 
 I Should have them in the next couple of days .


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## amigastar

After being interested in the Schiit Vali but i found out that it may be not enough current for the HE-500 i'm actually leaning towards the Valhalla 2.
  
 Would it make a difference to the matrix m-stage. i would assume so since i'm a believer of "You get what you pay" (mostly, there are of course products who can't deliver what they promise)
  
 A working friend of mine says that tube amps are the most enjoyable (it's his opinion at least).


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## grrorr76

In my opinion I would say they sound more musical and less clinical.


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## MustelaNivalis

amigastar said:


> After being interested in the Schiit Vali but i found out that it may be not enough current for the HE-500 i'm actually leaning towards the Valhalla 2.
> 
> Would it make a difference to the matrix m-stage. i would assume so since i'm a believer of "You get what you pay" (mostly, there are of course products who can't deliver what they promise)
> 
> A working friend of mine says that tube amps are the most enjoyable (it's his opinion at least).


 
 If I read schiit.com correctly, they say the Valhalla 2 can drive "high-efficiency planars like LCD-X, LCD-XC, Oppo PM-1 and HE-400". The HE 500 you mention is not high-efficiency:
  
 HE 500
 Impedance: 38 Ohm <= requires low-gain mode
 Sensitivity: 89 dB <= low-efficiency
  
 HE 400
 Impedance: 35 Ohm <= requires low-gain mode
 Sensitivity: 92.5 dB <= rather medium than high-efficiency
  
 From this you could conclude that the Valhalla 2 is not ideal to drive the HE 500. The next option would be Asgard 2 or Lyr 2. You indeed get what you pay for (mine got delivered without any issues , but in this case you pay for some real high value schiit.
  
 In general tube-amps sound more musical because tubes are still more linear than transistors and field-transistors. A good amplifier topology can exploit that fact, without introducing new problems.


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## amigastar

Hey MustelaNivalis,
 thanks for the info.
  
 Tough choice considering the Valhalla 2 is not ideal for the HE-500.
 I guess i have to inform myself more about tube amps alternatives for the Hifiman. And lookup the specs of the Lyr 2 because i haven't bothered with it as yet.


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## grrorr76

I am now rolling some mullards through the input section of my Valhalla 2 and I have to say I love them. The highs have a pronounced roll of and a more linear less harsh feel to them. This is especially nice on albums which have an overt digital sound to them. It gives them a more musical sound.


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## grrorr76

I got my telefunkan tubes yesterday and put them into my Valhalla 2. Wow underplays how lovely these sound. The highs have an ultra milky smooth tone now. Sound stage feels deeper and more 3d bass feels tighter to and tonally richer.
 Music that sounded digital sounds so linear and warm. I am thrilled. Good thing to as I ordered 2 pairs.


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## Otheronek

grrorr76 said:


> I got my telefunkan tubes yesterday and put them into my Valhalla 2. Wow underplays how lovely these sound. The highs have an ultra milky smooth tone now. Sound stage feels deeper and more 3d bass feels tighter to and tonally richer.
> Music that sounded digital sounds so linear and warm. I am thrilled. Good thing to as I ordered 2 pairs.




Were these NOS tubes or the new production tubes being released by Telefunkin USA?


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## Syan25

Just paid for mine...wonder when I'll get it....


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## grrorr76

otheronek said:


> Were these NOS tubes or the new production tubes being released by Telefunkin USA?


 
 nos ones made in ulm germany late 60's diamond bottoms


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## Syan25

Holy - it shipped super fast! I m excited


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## philiphotog

I've had the Bifrost and Valhalla 2 for a few weeks now, and all I can say is 'wow'. Just a beautiful luscious sound. I do have  a question. I have the Bifrost hooked up via optical to my Mac Pro Desktop. I can get 24/96 but no higher and after some research, that's the highest available for mac. So now I'm wondering, am I missing out on 24/176 or 24/192? Should I upgrade and get the USB option installed by Schiit? I generally only listen to CD's imported as Apple Lossless, so I'm not sure if there would be an improvement or not. Can someone help?


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## MustelaNivalis

philiphotog said:


> I've had the Bifrost and Valhalla 2 for a few weeks now, and all I can say is 'wow'. Just a beautiful luscious sound. I do have  a question. I have the Bifrost hooked up via optical to my Mac Pro Desktop. I can get 24/96 but no higher and after some research, that's the highest available for mac. So now I'm wondering, am I missing out on 24/176 or 24/192? Should I upgrade and get the USB option installed by Schiit? I generally only listen to CD's imported as Apple Lossless, so I'm not sure if there would be an improvement or not. Can someone help?


 
 I heard the biggest jump in audio quality between 44.1/16 (CD) and 44.1/24 (Studio Master). Above that, most material I have come across is remastered analogue and an occasional more recent HD recording. You could still play such material if you down-sample it on a Mac or PC. To my ears, recordings that really benefit from over 96/24 are very rare, they must contain real instruments, top vocalists or interesting room acoustics. On top of that, the recording requires special care and extra effort, very rare these days.
  
 There is no point in using HD audio formats to playback electronic instruments of lesser definition. You can however buy such recordings for a premium, if you insist... I am not eager to buy a DAC that goes over 96/24 at home myself. More sound quality below that sample rate is more appealing to me.
  
 The S/PDIF going over your fiber has a disadvantage compared to asynchronous USB when if comes to clock jitter. But from the Bifrost, I expect good clock recovery. Here is a link that explains that S/PDIF can never be completely decoupled from the source and the cable characteristics: http://en.wikipedia.org/?title=S/PDIF
  
 Anyway, please give Schiit some more sales, they will give us new products in return.


----------



## grrorr76

Today I thew in some *6N6P-i NOVOSIBIRSK tubes with my e88cc Telefunkan **ilm tubes and wholly molly what a huge jump in detail. I can hear everything. The mids and highs are so milky creamy. No more gritting high frequencies anymore through my Beyer T1's.  I wouldn't advise everyone to do what I have done as its cost a fair bit of money. The Telefunkans were $300 a pair. The good news is the Russian 6n6p's are only $30 a pair. I prefer this match better than the Mullards and the Gold lions. For me the electro harmonic 6h30p's didn't have a very pleasing low end. I could hear distortion.*


----------



## Syan25

How much burn in are you guys doing on your Valhalla 2? I read some of  are leaving it powered on for huge amounts of time?


----------



## grrorr76

its all depends.. for me and my telefunkans they sound spectacular straight away and they will only get better.  I don't believe in leaving the amp on for long periods. I say play it as normal and enjoy the ride.


----------



## MustelaNivalis

syan25 said:


> How much burn in are you guys doing on your Valhalla 2? I read some of  are leaving it powered on for huge amounts of time?


 
 I now use it a couple hours per day for about 3 weeks. In the beginning I liked the low-gain mode better on my Shure 1840. Recently I discovered the high-gain mode has more PRAT and dynamics while before it sounded a bit too restless to my taste. So I guess my Valhalla 2 is now officially beyond the burn-in phase.


----------



## Rem0o

grrorr76 said:


> its all depends.. for me and my telefunkans they sound spectacular straight away and they will only get better.  I don't believe in leaving the amp on for long periods. I say play it as normal and enjoy the ride.


 
 +1 , I did exactly that.

 It should sound good straight from the start.


----------



## MustelaNivalis

grrorr76 said:


> Today I thew in some *6N6P-i NOVOSIBIRSK tubes with my e88cc Telefunkan **ilm tubes and wholly molly what a huge jump in detail. I can hear everything. The mids and highs are so milky creamy. No more gritting high frequencies anymore through my Beyer T1's.  I wouldn't advise everyone to do what I have done as its cost a fair bit of money. The Telefunkans were $300 a pair. The good news is the Russian 6n6p's are only $30 a pair. I prefer this match better than the Mullards and the Gold lions. For me the electro harmonic 6h30p's didn't have a very pleasing low end. I could hear distortion.*


 
 I never understood the application of 6N30P for audio. It has a higher pulse cathode current at the expense of higher capacitance between electrodes. In other words it is slower. They claim it is more linear than 6N6P (never saw any proof) but in case this is true, after a certain point, audio benefits more from timing then from linearity. This tube could very well be nothing more than an expensive hype. It is used by (expensive) names like Audio Research and Conrad Johnson however. The Russians developed the tube for rocket applications and it is highly durable. I myself tend not to shoot my amplifier into space. It is right next to me on a very serviceable location.


----------



## grrorr76

mustelanivalis said:


> I never understood the application of 6N30P for audio. It has a higher pulse cathode current at the expense of higher capacitance between electrodes. In other words it is slower. They claim it is more linear than 6N6P (never saw any proof) but in case this is true, after a certain point, audio benefits more from timing then from linearity. This tube could very well be nothing more than an expensive hype. It is used by (expensive) names like Audio Research and Conrad Johnson however. The Russians developed the tube for rocket applications and it is highly durable. I myself tend not to shoot my amplifier into space. It is right next to me on a very serviceable location.


 
 for me the *NOVOSIBIRSK tubes are the revelation who would of thought such a cheap 6n6p would sound so fantastic. I love its sound so much I have ordered another pair this time 60's vintage again for under $30 . Its the best bargain and a fantastic match for the ilm telefunkan ecc88's*


----------



## Syan25

Mine is stuck in customs and there is a typhoon here in Taiwan. Plus I gotta pay a further 100 US. Yikes..


----------



## Otheronek

Keep those updates coming......   inquiring minds want to know.  
  
 OOK


----------



## grrorr76

Not much mor


otheronek said:


> Keep those updates coming......   inquiring minds want to know.
> 
> OOK


 
 not much more to add besides saying the russian novosibirsk 6n6p's with the telefunkan e88cc's for me are the ultimate coupling. Everey style of music from classical , opera blues jazz etc sound equally good. As I use them more the sound stage is feeling wider and spacious .


----------



## icomrade

Purchased one of these bad boys, waiting for it to ship! Really looking forward to using it with my HD 650s. Anyone know how well this pairs with a Modi (not that I'm going to buy more Schiit anytime soon)?


----------



## sandab

I too ordered a Valhalla 2 for a set of HD650's.  It'll be fed from an Aune T1 with an Amperex 7308.  Got the HD650s but the T1 can't really drive them to their full glory.  Plan to run it stock, but I must admit Telefunkens and Novosibirsks are tempting.   Source is USB - FLAC when possible, but also AAC/MP3, especially stuff my wife buys.  (Sigh.)


----------



## Syan25

Got mine today....HELL, YEAH!


----------



## Rem0o

syan25 said:


> Got mine today....HELL, YEAH!


 
 Enjoy.


----------



## Syan25

Just putting in the tubes as we speak...


----------



## Otheronek

syan25 said:


> Just putting in the tubes as we speak...


 
  
  
 and !!! ?


----------



## Billheiser

philiphotog said:


> I've had the Bifrost and Valhalla 2 for a few weeks now, and all I can say is 'wow'. Just a beautiful luscious sound. I do have  a question. I have the Bifrost hooked up via optical to my Mac Pro Desktop. I can get 24/96 but no higher and after some research, that's the highest available for mac. So now I'm wondering, am I missing out on 24/176 or 24/192? Should I upgrade and get the USB option installed by Schiit? I generally only listen to CD's imported as Apple Lossless, so I'm not sure if there would be an improvement or not. Can someone help?


 
 Hmm, i get 24/192 from my macs, no problem.  I do use Amarra Hi-Fi riding on top of/integrated with iTunes.  Amarra shows me what resolution is playing and when it switches between sampling rates.
 Optical is capable of 24/192 but I'll stop there, cuz I think some toslink cables transmit it better than others.  I run optical from an Airport Express, which itself is limited to 16/44, so no problem there.  I use s/pdif coaxial out of my cd player, and USB for computer files (all resolutions from lo to hi).


----------



## icomrade

Well I just hooked up and received mine. It's significantly better than my magni, but that's pretty much a given for the price hike. I'll give it some time to burn-in  before coming to any conclusions.


----------



## Billheiser

Cool. FWIW, mine sounded great from the first minute. If it's better from burn-in over the last couple months, then great, but I don't hear an obvious difference. It's not like I've been playing the same tracks everyday to evaluate any change. Am just enjoying it a hella lot.


----------



## icomrade

So, I'm really starting to love this amp, it sounds great with my HD650s, but holy hell does it sound good with Shure SE846s in low gain mode (I was really surprised at this). I was looking at rolling some tubes in the near future, I was wondering if anyone had any experience with Foton military grade tubes from the 60's and how they compare to Novosibirsk tubes from the 70's. Hoping to get some impressions on 6N6P tubes, I can only find them for 40+ dollars from the Ukraine, otherwise I'd just buy them.
  
 Bonus points if you can tell me what the OTK (quality control) numbers mean, I've seen up to 10 on these tubes.


----------



## grrorr76

icomrade said:


> So, I'm really starting to love this amp, it sounds great with my HD650s, but holy hell does it sound good with Shure SE846s in low gain mode (I was really surprised at this). I was looking at rolling some tubes in the near future, I was wondering if anyone had any experience with Foton military grade tubes from the 60's and how they compare to Novosibirsk tubes from the 70's. Hoping to get some impressions on 6N6P tubes, I can only find them for 40+ dollars from the Ukraine, otherwise I'd just buy them.
> 
> Bonus points if you can tell me what the OTK (quality control) numbers mean, I've seen up to 10 on these tubes.


 

 I have the Novosibirsk 6n6p tubes and the Fotons. I prefer the Novosibirsk type as they to my ears seem to give a bit more detail but thats only my opinion.


----------



## sandab

grrorr76 said:


> I have the Novosibirsk 6n6p tubes and the Fotons. I prefer the Novosibirsk type as they to my ears seem to give a bit more detail but thats only my opinion.


 
 Is there any other 6N6P maker than Novosibirsk?
  
 I was thinking of rolling the 6DJ8 positions with Telefunken E188CCs - Upscale Audio has them in stock at a good price ($129 ea for platinum grade, burnt-in, tested, matched, and ready to roll).   I've been only looking for an excuse to buy a set...


----------



## Syan25

Then just do it!


----------



## icomrade

sandab said:


> Is there any other 6N6P maker than Novosibirsk?
> 
> I was thinking of rolling the 6DJ8 positions with Telefunken E188CCs - Upscale Audio has them in stock at a good price ($129 ea for platinum grade, burnt-in, tested, matched, and ready to roll).   I've been only looking for an excuse to buy a set...


 
 Aren't 6DJ8 tubes designed to operate at lower voltages?
 Edit: http://www.head-fi.org/t/42853/difference-between-6922-and-6dj8


----------



## sandab

Since they're used on the input side I doubt there's much of a problem; they're not driven hard and should last a long time.  Schiit themselves mention the 6DJ8 as a possible rolling possibility on the "specs" tab.  I was just using it as a generic term for the entire family of dual triodes with that particular pin-out and about 30-35x gain and ~90V anode voltage, with the actual 6DJ8 itself being the least capable of the bunch.  I think if it's fine with an actual 6DJ8 it'll work with almost anything...


----------



## sandab

syan25 said:


> Then just do it!


 
  
 Okay, I ordered a pair of Telefunken E88CC (not E188CC, my bad) to try out, from Upscale Audio...


----------



## grrorr76

sandab said:


> Okay, I ordered a pair of Telefunken E88CC (not E188CC, my bad) to try out, from Upscale Audio...


 

 I have the tele's the ulm e88cc they sound just lovely your in for a treat.


----------



## Rameish

What improvements are there sonically over the V1 Valhalla? Also would it help if you unplugged the headphones before switching the amp off? Specifically for the Valhalla.


----------



## Syan25

I still have no time to get the burn in done...yikes!


----------



## MrTechAgent

I am surprised no one mentioned the V2s don't have the Muting Relay , there's still that DC Voltage during on/off cycles ....******* pisses me off


----------



## Rameish

mrtechagent said:


> I am surprised no one mentioned the V2s don't have the Muting Relay , there's still that DC Voltage during on/off cycles ....******* pisses me off




Is this true? Why wouldn't they do that? I had thought they has implemented this even before the 2nd version of Asgard was released and offered to fix the problem on older units of Asgard. Well let's just wait and see if they respond before pulling the trigger. Damn ...I'm gonna wait a couple of days till I hear from schiit.


----------



## MrTechAgent

rameish said:


> Is this true? Why wouldn't they do that? I had thought they has implemented this even before the 2nd version of Asgard was released and offered to fix the problem on older units of Asgard. Well let's just wait and see if they respond before pulling the trigger. Damn ...I'm gonna wait a couple of days till I hear from schiit.


 
 Well one guy on YouTube got a reply from Jason , according to Jason its not as dramatic as it used to be on the Asgard , due to some Engineering reason the V2s have a slow turn on feature which supposedly fixes the issue , I have not experienced the problem on all my headphones except the DT-150 in which I can clearly hear the V2 suck up the membrane.


----------



## Rameish

mrtechagent said:


> Well one guy on YouTube got a reply from Jason , according to Jason its not as dramatic as it used to be on the Asgard , due to some Engineering reason the V2s have a slow turn on feature which supposedly fixes the issue , I have not experienced the problem on all my headphones except the DT-150 in which I can clearly hear the V2 suck up the membrane.




So does this mean it won't damage the headphones over time? Could someone confirm or refute this? Please. I mean there are a lot of tech minded people here like tangent, morsel etc I mean the guys who designed the PPA should be able to confirm or refute this. Is Kurt W still active here. Sorry to ask but these were some of the people I respected back in 2001 when I first joined head-fi after headwize sorta hibernated. They also spoke their minds. Sorry but it's been years since I visited head-fi and maybe they are no longer active. What about hirsch he's a tube guy and is/was a mid is he still active? 

BTW the beyerdynamic dt150 is a great pair of cans. I remember praising them to no end back in2001. Bit do I feel old suddenly...kekeke

I'm sure someone at schiit will respond soon. And explain it clearly. Let wait for that.


----------



## superjawes

rameish said:


> So does this mean it won't damage the headphones over time? Could someone confirm or refute this? Please. I mean there are a lot of tech minded people here like tangent, morsel etc I mean the guys who designed the PPA should be able to confirm or refute this. Is Kurt W still active here. Sorry to ask but these were some of the people I respected back in 2001 when I first joined head-fi after headwize sorta hibernated. They also spoke their minds. Sorry but it's been years since I visited head-fi and maybe they are no longer active. What about hirsch he's a tube guy and is/was a mid is he still active?
> 
> BTW the beyerdynamic dt150 is a great pair of cans. I remember praising them to no end back in2001. Bit do I feel old suddenly...kekeke
> 
> I'm sure someone at schiit will respond soon. And explain it clearly. Let wait for that.




[quote="Schiit Audio, Asgard FAQs"url=http://schiit.com/products/asgard-2] _So can I leave my headphones plugged in all the time, or do I have to do the unplug-and replug thing every time I turn Asgard 2 off and on?_

You can leave them plugged in all the time. Asgard 2 has a muting relay which delays output on first turn-on, and mutes the output on turn-off.[/quote]
How's this? I know an independent answer might be more assuring, but they seem to have addressed the concern.

You could also email your concerns to them. Email responses are pretty quick.


----------



## Jason Stoddard

superjawes said:


> How's this? I know an independent answer might be more assuring, but they seem to have addressed the concern.
> 
> You could also email your concerns to them. Email responses are pretty quick.


 
  
 Hey guys, this is covered in the product FAQ:
  
 
Does this have a muting relay, like all your other amps?
No. The slow turn-on and turn-off characteristics of tubes and limited current capability means there's no muting relay—which is the same for pretty much every tube OTL headphone amp out there. While there is DC on the output at turn-on and turn-off, it is on the order of 100mV into 32-ohm headphones. If you are concerned about this, unplug your headphones before turning the amp off, and wait 30 seconds or so after you turn Valhalla 2 on to plug in.


----------



## MustelaNivalis

For what it is worth, in practice I do not have any problems combining my Shure SRH1840 (65 [Ohm]) with the Valhalla 2. It is always plugged in and I even switch between low-gain and high-gain live (cans on my head). Potential DC doesn't make it to the membrane anyway it is dampened by the electro-mechanical system (AKA headphone) which has limited mechanical speed. Should you then also avoid loud percussion instruments? As long as the amplitude does not exceed the headphones peak-power specification... (usually 10 times or more higher than the RMS power)
  
 BTW a common way of characterizing a system is by measuring the step response. Apply a step from zero to some DC value on the input and check how much overshoot and undershoot the output has and for how long. This is practised for ages on all sorts of audio equipment.


----------



## Rem0o

Correct me if I'm wrong, but Valhalla has a slow turn on/off cycle due to the tubes starting to conduct slowly as they heat up. Combine that with what is probably some coupling caps or DC servo at the output, and you have no big DC spikes going at your headphones.


----------



## Rameish

That is reassuring news indeed Jason. Thanks.


----------



## sandab

No pops, click, or other potentially headphone-damaging output in my V2 when I turn it on or off.  It's perfectly silent.
  
 Also, the V2 drives Beyer T1's very nicely.  No complaints.  Gorgeous-sounding with the stock tubes.
  
 Got my Telefunken E88CC's and quickly popped them in to make sure they're good.  They come burnt-in, as a matched pair.  No cryo.  gmo 13500 & 13300.  Haven't done any extensive comparative listening, but off-hand they're definitely cleaner, smoother, more neutral than the stock.  Soundstage is different.  To be honest I think they might be a little too neutral for the T1's and my likes, but I think they'll be nice with the HD650s.  More listening is needed (the HD650s are at work and I'm taking the Bifrost + V2 in on Monday).  Or maybe I just need to get used to them.


----------



## Syan25

I have had no problems either though I am still in the burn-in phase - I heard nothing unusual using my DT-880


----------



## MustelaNivalis

rem0o said:


> Correct me if I'm wrong, but Valhalla has a slow turn on/off cycle due to the tubes starting to conduct slowly as they heat up. Combine that with what is probably some coupling caps or DC servo at the output, and you have no big DC spikes going at your headphones.


 
 You are absolutely right, a single ended output stage needs decoupling to block the DC. But there can always be a transient during on/off, charging/decharging the decoupling capacitor. In this case: P = U^2 / R = (100 mV)^2 / 32 = 0.3 mW. To my understanding that does not push the coil/membrane even near the mechanical maximum position nor does it approach the heat dissipation limit. A Shure SRH1840 for example can sink 1000 mW.
  
 The simplicity of the single ended OTL topology for me is the main reason for buying the Valhalla. No push-pull, no cross-over, just a swing over a linear part of the transconductance curve. Tubes produce some second harmonics distortion but in this case that is < 0.04 %. This is worst-case so using a headphone with the lowest possible impedance (32 [Ohm] I guess). The white cathode follower always produces the max distortion on the lowest load impedance's. If the price I have to pay for this perfected simplicity is a little transient during on/off, so be it.


----------



## Rameish

I gave the Valhalla a listen this evening and it's looking good. I just need to bring my transport to the dealer to listen to the bifrost and Valhalla sometime next week. Might end up buying both. Hope they can give me a nicer price. Kekeke hope runs eternal right. Frankly even at the sg prices I might just both.


----------



## Billheiser

rameish said:


> I gave the Valhalla a listen this evening and it's looking good. I just need to bring my transport to the dealer to listen to the bifrost and Valhalla sometime next week. Might end up buying both. Hope they can give me a nicer price. Kekeke hope runs eternal right. Frankly even at the sg prices I might just both.



Generally Schiit sells at its fixed retail price, which is as reasonable as they can make it. If the dealer offers a discount it would be entirely from their margin, so I wouldn't count on it. Will be interested if you get a discount; let us know if you did or didn't.


----------



## Rameish

billheiser said:


> Generally Schiit sells at its fixed retail price, which is as reasonable as they can make it. If the dealer offers a discount it would be entirely from their margin, so I wouldn't count on it. Will be interested if you get a discount; let us know if you did or didn't.




I said in half jest. But dealers in sg sell at a reasonably marked up price from what you see advertised at schiit. About US$90 for the lower end units. So hopefully if you buy to units you might get the mark up reduced at bit - hopefully. Nobody likes to pay more in life but such is life and capitalism


----------



## MrTechAgent

Valhalla 2 :
  
Peak DC Voltage when turning
on: -0.103v ~ 2.799v
off: -2.246v ~ 0.971v
  
That's a figure I got from a person on YouTube , unless you want to massage your headphone diaphragms I would suggest un-plugging your headphones before turning it off , its like going for a back massage and then coming out with a broken spine 
  
 Again , I'm not bashing it , I own and love it but just keeping you guys updated for the safety of your headphones , take it or leave it ....
  
 Not a big deal for me since my 150s suffer , not all


----------



## MustelaNivalis

mrtechagent said:


> Valhalla 2 :
> 
> Peak DC Voltage when turning
> on: -0.103v ~ 2.799v
> ...


 
 If I see numbers like that I suspect the guy has a ground issue in his measurement set-up. Maybe he should download the internet and search for "ground loop" and "common-mode".


----------



## MrTechAgent

mustelanivalis said:


> If I see numbers like that I suspect the guy has a ground issue in his measurement set-up. Maybe he should download the internet and search for "ground loop" and "common-mode".




Maybe , the numbers seem dubious to me too.


----------



## sandab

mrtechagent said:


> Valhalla 2 :
> 
> Peak DC Voltage when turning
> on: -0.103v ~ 2.799v
> off: -2.246v ~ 0.971v


 
 That would almost certainly be unloaded, or over a 10M DMM input, DSO probe, or something.  As soon as you add a load that voltage likely disappears.  It's purely nominal and perfectly normal.


----------



## MrTechAgent

sandab said:


> That would almost certainly be unloaded, or over a 10M DMM input, DSO probe, or something.  As soon as you add a load that voltage likely disappears.  It's purely nominal and perfectly normal.


 
  
 Well .....interesting to see you assume it was unloaded , when in fact it was (Partly my mistake , I didn't mention it)  , he used a HD-600 while measuring , so if we know our impedances , the load was 300ohms 
  
 But according to a reply he got from Schiit , the high voltages might have been because of leaky tubes..... Schiit sent him a new pair , I don't know if that is the real cause though , until he re-measures them we will not know , anyways I noticed my membrane being sucked at "off" and that was only with the DT-150s so its not a huge deal any more , and it is not a huge deal anyways since you can remove your headphones first and nobody is gonna keep tubes running all day long


----------



## MustelaNivalis

If you want to measure the contribution of the Valhalla, you need to disconnect the headphone and terminate with a resistor. The headphone is a coil, if you try to get DC through it, it fights back by creating a high voltage in the opposite direction.
  
 Also to prevent a ground loop or short circuit via mains, it is best to use a battery powered scope (disconnect the optional mains plug).


----------



## MustelaNivalis

BTW, the voltage created by the coil does not result in a movement of the membrane, it tries to avoid the movement that way... That is what coils do, try to keep everything the way it was.


----------



## MrTechAgent

mustelanivalis said:


> If you want to measure the contribution of the Valhalla, you need to disconnect the headphone and terminate with a resistor. The headphone is a coil, if you try to get DC through it, it fights back by creating a high voltage in the opposite direction.
> 
> Also to prevent a ground loop or short circuit via mains, it is best to use a battery powered scope (disconnect the optional mains plug).


 
 Well , that doesn't look like a lot of fightback to me 
  
 
  
 And that's around 2.20v on the original Asgard , this gentleman seems to get 2.246v peak


----------



## MrTechAgent

I wish I could show you the membrane being sucked on my 150s but since the baffle has the acoustic soak , I ain't screwing that up ..


----------



## MustelaNivalis

mrtechagent said:


> Well , that doesn't look like a lot of fightback to me
> 
> 
> 
> And that's around 2.20v on the original Asgard , this gentleman seems to get 2.246v peak




 LOL, not much fighting there.
  
 Please do not mix up things. Valhalla produces a little DC current due to the single ended end stage. The HP coil responds with relative high voltage to prevent movement.
  
 Asgard is capable of high current and has a push pull end stage with a DC servo. The DC servo cannot be fast other wise it reduces low audio frequencies. Apparently the push pull stages start a bit uneven. I think the Asgard 2 already has an output relay.
  
 Please come up with a video where a Valhalla 2 is used.


----------



## MustelaNivalis

Just removed the ear pads from my Shure SRH1840 and switched the power of the Valhalla 2 on and off, not the slightest movement of the membrane could be seen. Also using my Sennheiser HD558 which is see-through, not the slightest movement. (Sorry no videos.)
  
 That is it for me. I'm out of this discussion and back to plain music listening.


----------



## sandab

mustelanivalis said:


> If you want to measure the contribution of the Valhalla, you need to disconnect the headphone and terminate with a resistor. The headphone is a coil, if you try to get DC through it, it fights back by creating a high voltage in the opposite direction.


 
 Yeah, like this:

  
 That's 220 ohm.
 Funny you should mention this, because i just set this up to run a bunch of sinusoidals through to see what the output spectrum looks like...  Also created to RCA plugs terminated with 220 ohm (should perhaps be higher come to think of it) so I can check a line level source or output.  While at it.


----------



## MustelaNivalis

sandab said:


> That's 220 ohm.
> Funny you should mention this, because i just set this up to run a bunch of sinusoidals through to see what the output spectrum looks like...  Also created to RCA plugs terminated with 220 ohm (should perhaps be higher come to think of it) so I can check a line level source or output.  While at it.


 
 The 220 [Ohm] depends on what you want to see. White cathode followers have their max distortion at the lowest load impedance. Or maybe you want something that is closest to the load you are going to use, 300 [Ohm] for example. Anyway I think you are going to find most (but little) distortion on the second harmonics especially in high-gain mode.
  
 Big question remains how measured figures translate to perception...


----------



## sandab

mustelanivalis said:


> The 220 [Ohm] depends on what you want to see. White cathode followers have their max distortion at the lowest load impedance. Or maybe you want something that is closest to the load you are going to use, 300 [Ohm] for example. Anyway I think you are going to find most (but little) distortion on the second harmonics especially in high-gain mode.
> 
> Big question remains how measured figures translate to perception...


 
 Yeah, but speaker impedance is complex (reactive), not predominantly resistive so a resistor is not a representative load anyway.  So I don't think it terribly matters if it's 220 or 300 or 470, as long as it's not 22 or 1.2k.  Ballpark is close enough.  Ideally, I'd measure the RMS current and use an adjustable resistance so for any given test frequency the current is matched at a particular volume and gain setting using a particular set of headphones.  But that's too much work.  I wanted a set of characterization of my Aune T1 before and after I replace the power caps.
  
 The Valhalla 2 and Bifrost combo driven either by USB or optical form my MacBook Pro is indeed very clean, with a scattering of minor distortion products, mainly harmonic.  This is unlike the Aune T1 which starting at 1kHz has harmonic distortion at 2x and 4x, but worse has non-harmonic distortion almost equal to the harmonic at 3x and 5x.  These are at about -50dB give or take 5%.  This is undoubtedly why it sounds shrill.  At 8kHz it behaves as if it's starting to take on a step shape; the frequency spectrum diffuses and it shows a hint of warbling.  This then continues up the scale and at 10kHz the warbling is quite obvious in the wave shape.  It also has a spike at 320kHz and another spike further up, I didn't pay too much attention but it might be 1.5MHz.  The Bifrost Uber and Valhalla 2 with Telefunken E88CC tubes by comparison is a marvel of signal fidelity and spectral cleanliness!


----------



## MustelaNivalis

If you like to consider complex loads too, you could measure the output impedance against frequency. All the reactiveness is ideally sinked by a low output impedance. That is actually one of the improvements between Valhalla and Valhalla 2, the update can sink more current from the load.


----------



## sandab

I'm not really going to spend much time on the Valhalla 2... it sounds great to me so why bother.  No reason to go looking for things wrong with it.


----------



## MustelaNivalis

sandab said:


> I'm not really going to spend much time on the Valhalla 2... it sounds great to me so why bother.  No reason to go looking for things wrong with it.


 
 Oops, I did not mean to create an atmosphere that there was something wrong with the Valhalla. I'm using it myself with great pleasure.
  
 From a technical point of view: Measuring the output impedance is only half the story for a single ended amp anyway. These amps can have asymmetrical current sink and source capability. The white cathode follower has an active element between the cathode and ground to enable it to sink current but nothing is ideal in this world. Measuring the possible imbalance would be more interesting than the resulting total output impedance since the amp is more ideal for high impedance loads that need only little current (reasonably low output impedance will do).


----------



## capitanharlock

Hi everybody, I just got a Grado PS500e that I listened connected to a Valhalla. It sounded great but I guess if it's even better plugged in a Lyr 2....


----------



## MrTechAgent

Another peculiar observation with my V2 , turned it on and my left back tube (Long One) just popped out like it was suspended from a bungee 
 I don't know if my $570 were well spent (Yes 570 - Including customs , shipping etc..)


----------



## superjawes

It took me a couple of days to get my tubes properly seated in the sockets. Make sure everything is cooled off and do some extra wiggling to make sure that your tube is all the way down in the socket.

Don't push too hard (obviously), as you don't want to break anything.


----------



## MrTechAgent

superjawes said:


> It took me a couple of days to get my tubes properly seated in the sockets. Make sure everything is cooled off and do some extra wiggling to make sure that your tube is all the way down in the socket.
> 
> Don't push too hard (obviously), as you don't want to break anything.


 
 Well , I see your point 
 I could be wrong but this has happened twice at the exact location 
 The first time I was hearing random pops and buzzing so I was sure the tube was loose , I installed it again and it worked perfectly 
 This time , I mean 10 mins ago ..it happened so I removed and installed it again .....there might be something wrong with the socket , hope some intelligent people can chime in rather than others who come up with their constant validation about how great the amp is , thanks !


----------



## superjawes

Consider emailing Schiit if the issue is persisting. I know import/export can be a pain, but if this is a common issue, a tech might be able to give you a home remedy.


----------



## MrTechAgent

superjawes said:


> Consider emailing Schiit if the issue is persisting. I know import/export can be a pain, but if this is a common issue, a tech might be able to give you a home remedy.


 
 Might just do that ...


----------



## MustelaNivalis

Does anyone know why there is a rocket logo on some NOS tubes?


----------



## sandab

If the tube pops out repeatedly it probably has a defective socket, or possibly something is stuck inside one of the holes preventing the tube from inserting all the way.  But the latter should be obvious since the tube won't be level with the other one.


----------



## sandab

mustelanivalis said:


> Oops, I did not mean to create an atmosphere that there was something wrong with the Valhalla. I'm using it myself with great pleasure.
> 
> From a technical point of view: Measuring the output impedance is only half the story for a single ended amp anyway. These amps can have asymmetrical current sink and source capability. The white cathode follower has an active element between the cathode and ground to enable it to sink current but nothing is ideal in this world. Measuring the possible imbalance would be more interesting than the resulting total output impedance since the amp is more ideal for high impedance loads that need only little current (reasonably low output impedance will do).


 
 No worries, just explaining myself.   I think just characterizing something for the sake of generating metrics and graphs is fairly pointless.  I don't think metrics like THD really quantify what something sounds like.  For instance, the device in the 10kHz graph below shows only minuscule THD.  In this case I took a look at the output because it sounds poor so I wanted to why, to see what can be done about it.  If simple fixes don't solve it I'll trace out the board to a capture and examine suspect sections into Spice to see what's going on.
  
 Just look at this.  Headphone output; wave on the bottom, spectrum on top.  Okay, it's not zero THD, because there's a tiny notch showing up at 20kHz (2x 10k).  But I can guarantee that's not what makes this device sound like it does...
  

  
 Curiously, this is from the RCA output (over 22k resistive load), from the DAC prior to the headphone amp stage.
  

  
 Apologies for the different timebase and bandwidth on the display.  But it's just as bad, if not worse, showing this is definitely a DAC artifact.  The device supports 96kS/s so I have a hunch this is caused by feeding it 44.1k and it then does asinine sample replication (or fills in with zeros) to oversample to its base clock, then relies on the output low-pass to "fix it".  That's why it has a beat pattern.


----------



## kodger

My valhalla 2 arrrived today waiting for this evening for some quiet time for a true listen


----------



## MattTCG

Just checking in to see what kind of after market tubes are getting favor with the Val2.


----------



## SoupRKnowva

I don't think there is much consensus at this point. I ordered some 60s russian 6n1/6ps to roll in off ebay, ought to be here in a couple weeks, ill check back in then. It sounds pretty stellar with just the stock tubes though as well.


----------



## sandab

matttcg said:


> Just checking in to see what kind of after market tubes are getting favor with the Val2.


 
 I really like the Telefunken E88CC (Platinum grade burnt-in and matched from Upscale Audio, NOS 1968) on the input side with stock 6N6P on the output.  They clear up the soundstage noticeably, and are a little less warm.  The stock output tubes still have plenty of character.  But the 6N1P's from Schiit are pretty darn nice, just a little too tubey for my taste.  I'm thinking of trying a pair of Amperex 7308 also at some point.
  
 With the Bifrost Uber on the input and Beyerdynamic T1s on the output (still burning in, with about 30 hours on them so far) playing ALAC CD rips the Val2 sounds really, really good.


----------



## sandab

Got a pair of cryo-treated 6N6P's for my Val2 from Cryoset.  At $40 shipped I thought it was worth a try.  I'll be damned if it doesn't sound a little airier, more open AND more dynamic!  (That's them here tubies: http://www.cryoset.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=296)  A no-brainer roll to my ears...  This is with Telefunken E88CC's on the input side.


----------



## sandab

Is it me or does the sound thicken up after a few hours?  I wonder if it's because the enclosure slowly heats up.  The input tubes are predominantly below the top cover and might get a little hot.  As it is I start out with the HD650s and after a couple of hours switch over to the T1s.   Maybe socket savers would be helpful in raising the tubes a bit and running slightly cooler.


----------



## icomrade

Hmm I notice quite the opposite. When I first turn the amp on it sounds a little more congested than when warmed up. Check to see if your tubes are seated properly when cool.


----------



## MattTCG

I am REALLY surprised that this amp isn't getting more attention. It's really an incredible offering at the price. Stock tubes are good. A little full OTL amp with some solid state characteristics. Just sounds amazing with hd650.


----------



## Syan25

Still haven't begun with mine...I'm too busy! Can't wait though


----------



## grrorr76

sandab said:


> Is it me or does the sound thicken up after a few hours?  I wonder if it's because the enclosure slowly heats up.  The input tubes are predominantly below the top cover and might get a little hot.  As it is I start out with the HD650s and after a couple of hours switch over to the T1s.   Maybe socket savers would be helpful in raising the tubes a bit and running slightly cooler.


 

 I use socket savers and it definitely keep the amp a lot cooler.


----------



## MattTCG

Four socket savers are pricey from tubemonger. I'd be worried that the cheap ones would introduce noise.


----------



## FlySweep

matttcg said:


> I am REALLY surprised that this amp isn't getting more attention. It's really an incredible offering at the price. Stock tubes are good. A little full OTL amp with some solid state characteristics. Just sounds amazing with hd650.


 
 Me too.. I'm surprised by the lack of impressions.  If I didn't have a custom CTH coming, a Valhalla 2/HD650/HD800 combo would be at the top of my list.


----------



## Billheiser

flysweep said:


> Me too.. I'm surprised by the lack of impressions.  If I didn't have a custom CTH coming, a Valhalla 2/HD650/HD800 combo would be at the top of my list.


I've seen a lot of impressions, all positive, in other Schiit related threads here on head-fi.


----------



## icomrade

I think that the title of the thread isn't really attractive for other Valhalla 2 owners. Hell, the only reason I found it is because I wanted to read a review before pulling the trigger.


----------



## sandab

grrorr76 said:


> I use socket savers and it definitely keep the amp a lot cooler.


 
 I got a set too and think this is a fine idea.
  
 However, I found the culprit, and it wasn't temperature related.  It was due to an Apple Airport Express sitting next to the power cables, I noticed while listening that when I moved the AE around the bass response changed.  So I put it on a 10' optical cable and placed it about that far away.  I also got a Furman power conditioner, put the AE in one of the "noisy digital" outlets, and equipped the DAC and amp with PS Audio Jewel 1 power cables (on sale for $35 at a particular online store, looking at the massive heft of these things I'd say that's a good price) and connected them to the conditioner.  The bass is now rock solid.  I think what happened was it got later in the evening and RF traffic reduced, with the AE lowering its power output and the bass picked up.  It is now what it should have been all along.  Live and learn.


----------



## JustinBieber

Anybody pairing with the HD800? Have any insight or comparisons? I did some digging in the 800 thread and feedback seems positive. 

I'm using a Mini X speaker amp to drive my HD800s. It works, but it certainly isn't ideal (noise, fairly sensitive volume control). 

I'm looking to spend $400 max on a tube amp for them.


----------



## bigpook

Very new to this but found this website, and then this thread. Hopefully this is the right place to post this question. If not, please be kind and point me to the right location.
  
 I just ordered a schiit valhalla 2 and should have it in a few days. Was wondering what DAC should/could/would go with it.
  
 Where I am at right now:
 Currently using a linux box as my sound source listening to FLAC rips. Have a usb fiio e10k as the dac and the line out going to a bravo ocean tube amp. Using grado sr80e and now sr325e headphones. I bought a bunch of tubes but my favorite so far is a GE 12au7 with long silver/black plates made in the 50's. 
 I listen to mostly jazz and classical. 
  
 My question is will the fiio e10k be sufficient paired up with the schiit valhalla 2? I read so many reviews and it is honestly somewhat confusing. There is so much information, opinion, science(?) etc. to filter through.
 I was looking at the schitt modi as a possible option but am not sure if it will really make a difference.
  
 I am mostly happy with my current setup, I just have some doubts about the bravo. From what I have read it skimped on the mosfets, capacitors, resistors...but overall with the new tube it does sound pretty good to me. Hoping the valhalla is a step up from that though.
  
 Appreciate any feedback. Again, I am a noob. If this is the wrong place to post this then sorry!
  
 Cheers!


----------



## zilch0md

flysweep said:


> Me too.. I'm surprised by the lack of impressions.  If I didn't have a custom CTH coming, a Valhalla 2/HD650/HD800 combo would be at the top of my list.


 
  
  


justinbieber said:


> Anybody pairing with the HD800? Have any insight or comparisons? I did some digging in the 800 thread and feedback seems positive.
> 
> I'm using a Mini X speaker amp to drive my HD800s. It works, but it certainly isn't ideal (noise, fairly sensitive volume control).
> 
> I'm looking to spend $400 max on a tube amp for them.


 
  
The Valhalla 2 has made me _vewy vewy happy!   _
  
     
  
Well, maybe not _that _happy...  





  
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/650510/the-new-hd800-impressions-thread/13620#post_10859413
  
 Mike


----------



## Billheiser

bigpook said:


> Very new to this but found this website, and then this thread. Hopefully this is the right place to post this question. If not, please be kind and point me to the right location.
> 
> I just ordered a schiit valhalla 2 and should have it in a few days. Was wondering what DAC should/could/would go with it.
> 
> ...


 
 I would say the Valhalla 2 will be a nice step up from the bravo.  Try it out and see if you think it is.  If not, return it and save some money!  However, if you find it better (I bet you will), then consider a DAC upgrade.  In the meantime the fiio will be fine-o.  The Modi would be a great candidate, a highly rated DAC for just $100.  Or, to match the Valhalla 2 in terms of performance, and aesthetics/design, and with more flexibility (2-3 inputs depending on which version), get the Schiit Bifrost.  Top flight and cost efficient and future proof.


----------



## Rem0o

bigpook said:


> Very new to this but found this website, and then this thread. Hopefully this is the right place to post this question. If not, please be kind and point me to the right location.
> 
> I just ordered a schiit valhalla 2 and should have it in a few days. Was wondering what DAC should/could/would go with it.
> 
> ...


 
 I had the Fiio E10 (non k) out to the Valhalla (1) for a while. Honestly, the E10 was a major bottleneck. Sounded muddy all arround. Once I stepped up to even a modest ODAC, the ODAC+Valhalla was clearly a step up from the E10 alone.


----------



## bigpook

billheiser said:


> I would say the Valhalla 2 will be a nice step up from the bravo.  Try it out and see if you think it is.  If not, return it and save some money!  However, if you find it better (I bet you will), then consider a DAC upgrade.  In the meantime the fiio will be fine-o.  The Modi would be a great candidate, a highly rated DAC for just $100.  Or, to match the Valhalla 2 in terms of performance, and aesthetics/design, and with more flexibility (2-3 inputs depending on which version), get the Schiit Bifrost.  Top flight and cost efficient and future proof.


 
  
 Thanks for the reply. I will try out the Fiio first since I have it. I expect to hear a difference between the valhalla and the bravo, I mean, right? Will be curious to see how big a difference I can hear.
  
 The bifrost looks interesting but may be overkill. I only need to connect to my computer and don't see that changing any time soon. But the bifrost is cool because it can be upgraded.
 More info on this and as to how that came about: http://www.head-fi.org/t/701900/schiit-happened-the-story-of-the-worlds-most-improbable-start-up/690#post_10428728
  
 We'll see. 
  
 edited:spelling error


----------



## bigpook

rem0o said:


> I had the Fiio E10 (non k) out to the Valhalla (1) for a while. Honestly, the E10 was a major bottleneck. Sounded muddy all arround. Once I stepped up to even a modest ODAC, the ODAC+Valhalla was clearly a step up from the E10 alone.


 
  
 I read some information where the e10k was a complete redesign over the e10. This is close: http://www.head-fi.org/t/726304/the-fiio-e10k-all-new-dac-and-amp-stages
 The e10k doesn't sound muddy to me. If I remove the bravo from the equation and just use the e10k it sounds just fine, the bravo just makes it a little bit warmer and has gobs more power.
 Driving the grado's at 32 ohm keeps the volume knob on the bravo below 10 o clock. 
 Sounds like the e10k is a definite improvement over the e10.
 Is Fiio a respected manufacturer?  The e10k seems well made, nicer than the bravo for sure.


----------



## sandab

bigpook said:


> Thanks for the reply. I will try out the Fiio first since I have it. I expect to hear a difference between the valhalla and the braco, I mean, right? Will be curious to see how big a difference I can hear.


 
 What headphone are you using?  Maybe this would be a better upgrade candidate than the DAC...


----------



## icomrade

Anyone try Siemens CCAs or Philips SQ E88CCs with this amp? I'm interested in how they compare to Telefunkin E88CCs for a mild bump in price.


----------



## bigpook

sandab said:


> What headphone are you using?  Maybe this would be a better upgrade candidate than the DAC...


 
 I have grado sr80e and sr325e.


----------



## icomrade

Purchased some 1965 Foton 6n6p tubes off of eBay. They'll arrive towards the end of the month, it's too long of a wait! :'(
  
 I'll let you know how they sound when I finally get them.


----------



## MattTCG

I continue to be impressed with the signature of this amp. Both in terms of refinement and detail. So far the hd650 and he400i are excellent matches for this amp. I have yet to flip the gain switch to "hi" even with the he400i. The stock tubes are very nice and I feel no need to upgrade them, as of yet. 
  
 For $350 the Val 2 is simply a steal.


----------



## zilch0md

matttcg said:


> I continue to be impressed with the signature of this amp. Both in terms of refinement and detail. So far the hd650 and he400i are excellent matches for this amp. I have yet to flip the gain switch to "hi" even with the he400i. The stock tubes are very nice and I feel no need to upgrade them, as of yet.
> 
> For $350 the Val 2 is simply a steal.


 
  
 +1 
  
 I'm at comfortable volume levels in the HD800 with the volume pot at 12 o'clock on Low Gain (using a DAC with 2V rms output), so I don't feel compelled to go to Hi Gain at the risk of raising the noise floor.
  
 I'm still using the stock tubes with the HD800 and feel satisifed, but I'm a wee bit curious and tempted by good reports on the Russian 6N6P-i NOVOSIBIRSK Gold grid NOS (for the output stage).
  
 http://www.ebay.com/itm/6N6P-i-STONG-MATCHED-PAIR-tubes-NOVOSIBIRSK-Gold-grid-NOS-for-Little-Dot-MKIII-/141392955444
  
 At $24 for a matched pair, with shipping, I wouldn't mind trying them, but the last thing I want to do is start chasing after tubes that cost $50 a piece or more.  
  
 I've never heard any rave reports of affordable upgrades for the input stage.
  
 Are you still running stock tubes?
  
 Thanks!
  
 Mike


----------



## MattTCG

Those Russians looks very tempting. I'm in for half if anyone wants to buy some...hint hint.


----------



## zilch0md

Matt,
  
 The link I posted above is for one pair, not two.  Had you found a better price from someone selling two pair?


----------



## JustinBieber

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but aren't the 6N6Pi tubes for pulse mode operation? Apparently they aren't guaranteed to have as long of a life as a regular 6N6P and some other bad stuff.
  
 I've read good things about the 6N6PDR, but they're $600-800 a pair on eBay... oh my 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 
  
 Anyway, my Valhalla 2 is arriving tomorrow... thank you @MattTCG and @zilch0md for convincing me to buy. I will report back at the end of the week or so with some small impressions driving the HD800, and just for the heck of it even the HE560.


----------



## zilch0md

^ Uh-oh!  Maybe I should hide until you post something nice about your new Valhalla 2!    (I always get nervous when someone actually acts on my impressions, but the Valhalla 2 is a pretty safe bet.)


----------



## Billheiser

matttcg said:


> I continue to be impressed with the signature of this amp. Both in terms of refinement and detail. So far the hd650 and he400i are excellent matches for this amp. I have yet to flip the gain switch to "hi" even with the he400i. The stock tubes are very nice and I feel no need to upgrade them, as of yet.
> 
> For $350 the Val 2 is simply a steal.


 
 I'm using it to power HD600 and HE400i, and agree.  Am using the high gain for the Senn, and mostly the low gain for the HFM.  The Valh 2 is so well suited w/ the Senn that it's coming out ahead of the HFM; I intend to try another amp or two to see if that gives the HFM a boost.


----------



## icomrade

justinbieber said:


> Forgive me if I'm wrong, but aren't the 6N6Pi tubes for pulse mode operation? Apparently they aren't guaranteed to have as long of a life as a regular 6N6P and some other bad stuff.
> 
> I've read good things about the 6N6PDR, but they're $600-800 a pair on eBay... oh my
> 
> ...


 
 Snatch these up, the seller has also sold a 6n6p-dr for 90 dollars yesterday (JUST ONE). http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-pcs-BOX-PLATE-NOS-6N6P-Gold-grid-ECC99-E182CC-6N30P-Foton-early-1960s-tubes-/121432444748?pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item1c45f00f4c&autorefresh=true
  
 If I had not purchased the non-box plate version I would have bought these.
  
 Edit: 6n6p-dr = 6n30p-dr if you search ebay with the correct model you will get more results.
  
 Edit 2: also try Audiogon, you can ask the seller about this listing since it's a bit confusing as to what the tubes are http://app.audiogon.com/listings/parts-6n6p-russian-close-6n30p-dr-2014-08-28-vintage-equipment-russia


----------



## JustinBieber

icomrade said:


> Snatch these up, the seller has also sold a 6n6p-dr for 90 dollars yesterday (JUST ONE). http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-pcs-BOX-PLATE-NOS-6N6P-Gold-grid-ECC99-E182CC-6N30P-Foton-early-1960s-tubes-/121432444748?pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item1c45f00f4c&autorefresh=true
> 
> If I had not purchased the non-box plate version I would have bought these.
> 
> ...


 
 Ugh, wish I could get them. I'm about flat out broke since I just got the Val 2 and HD800. 
  
 The stock tubes actually aren't bad at all. I have some $80 a pair Matsush1ta (1 = i, spam filter thinks I'm cursing) E88CCs with Mullard tooling and rolled them. Soundstage is huge on these but with the HD800 everything seemed way too distant. I actually somewhat prefer the stock tubes to them since it has a more in your face sound.


----------



## MattTCG

justinbieber said:


> Ugh, wish I could get them. I'm about flat out broke since I just got the Val 2 and HD800.
> 
> The stock tubes actually aren't bad at all. I have some $80 a pair Matsush1ta (1 = i, spam filter thinks I'm cursing) E88CCs with Mullard tooling and rolled them. Soundstage is huge on these but with the HD800 everything seemed way too distant. I actually somewhat prefer the stock tubes to them since it has a more in your face sound.


 
  
 Glad to see that you ended up with the hd800. Hopefully I played some small part in that decision.


----------



## mightygabriel

I was wondering how bright the tubes of the Valhalla 2 should shine. 

 One of my smaller tubes is quite bright, the right kind of bright though - not the plate-bending gas-leaking kind of bright. The other one is a bit dimmer, I thought that might be due to manufacturing, not sure though, I'm new to this biz. 
 Now for the big ones - They're even dimmer than the small one. Should that be the case? As far as I can see they're socketed correctly. Just wondering if I'm getting the sound I paid for or if something's wrong here - never had a headphone amp before. 

 Any help would be appreciated, thank you! 
 (I can provide pictures if necessary)


----------



## Rem0o

mightygabriel said:


> I was wondering how bright the tubes of the Valhalla 2 should shine.
> 
> One of my smaller tubes is quite bright, the right kind of bright though - not the plate-bending gas-leaking kind of bright. The other one is a bit dimmer, I thought that might be due to manufacturing, not sure though, I'm new to this biz.
> Now for the big ones - They're even dimmer than the small one. Should that be the case? As far as I can see they're socketed correctly. Just wondering if I'm getting the sound I paid for or if something's wrong here - never had a headphone amp before.
> ...


 
 Had 1 (very) bright tube at some point, it started making noise real quick after I got it (6n1p).  Just watch that tube, and if you start having noise in that channel, you know the culprit. The rest of your tubes seem fine. A slight variation in light intensity is normal. In my experience, all 6n6p in Valhalla are dimmer than the 6n1p.

 Hope that helps.


----------



## JustinBieber

matttcg said:


> Glad to see that you ended up with the hd800. Hopefully I played some small part in that decision.


 
 You certainly played quite a big role in my decision. The HD800s are something you need to spend a lot of time with to appreciate IMO. A couple of short term listening sessions at meetups gave me the wrong impression of them.
  


rem0o said:


> Had 1 (very) bright tube at some point, it started making noise real quick after I got it (6n1p).  Just watch that tube, and if you start having noise in that channel, you know the culprit. The rest of your tubes seem fine. A slight variation in light intensity is normal. In my experience, all 6n6p in Valhalla are dimmer than the 6n1p.
> 
> Hope that helps.


 
 My 6N6Ps are actually brighter than the 6N1Ps and my E88CCs, doesn't really matter though. All tubes I've had are slightly darker/brighter. 
  
 Anyway, my impressions so far on Valhalla 2 are pretty dang positive. As expected, great with the HD800, and surprisingly with high gain the HE560 actually gets very loud when playing high dynamic range tracks (15-17+ on the DR index scale). However, bass is a bit muddy/distorted when you push it hard, it's definitely not bad though - and if Valhalla could do this with HE560 I imagine HE400/400i/more efficient planars would be fine.
  
 Will have some more detailed info up by Sunday/Monday, hopefully. 
  
 Pics:


----------



## JustinBieber

Here are my mini Valhalla 2 impressions. This amp really deserves this. I was expecting more info/reviews on it. Connected via Foobar2000 > AMB y2 > Valhalla 2 > Sennheiser HD800 and Hifiman HE560 preorder.
  
*Build:*
 I don't even need to go over this. We all know Schiit has stellar build quality. 
  
*Noise, gain, potentiometer: *
  
 There is no noise on low gain, with high gain I hear a very faint hum/buzz at 3 o' clock to the very end of the potentiometer. I always use low gain for the HD800 to avoid interference and they're efficient enough to work fine with more headroom to spare on low. 
  
 No channel imbalance with both the HD800 and HE560 either. Some of their cheaper amps like Magni have quite a bit of channel imbalance at low volumes. 
  
*Tube comparisons:*
  
 The stock Russian tubes actually aren't bad at all, they appear to be Novosibrisk 6N6Ps and Voskhod 6N1Ps.
  
 I rolled in Matsush1ta E88CCs w/ Mullard tooling (about $80 a pair) and actually somewhat preferred the standard tubes, which are dirt cheap too. Why? The soundstage is just too damn big on the Matsush1tas, everything sounded distant. The Matsush1ta tubes would work best with Grados or something with a forward/up close soundstage IMO. The HD800 already has a large soundstage and doesn't really need the extra boost.
  
*Sound w/ HD800:*
  
 And just to be fair I did my impressions with the stock tubes.
  
 The HD800 pairs well in standard form. Just a tiny bit of treble emphasis/glare is removed and there is a bit more “meat” to the mids which really helps balance the HD800 out. 
  
 Schiit says, “If you’re expecting syrupy, tubby, euphonically colored tube sound, you’re in for a shock.” on Valhalla 2's description. I agree with them, and I felt the same way with the original Valhalla. Both are not heavily colored amps, and you're not going to achieve the stereotypical ”tube sound” with them. That may be a pro/con based on preferences.
  
 Compared to my Emotiva Mini X speaker amp (which was certainly not optimal for the HD800) due to noise, high gain, and little volume control, Valhalla 2 has a notably larger soundstage, especially with the Matsushi1a tubes. I level matched both amplifiers with an SPL meter and switched back and forth. The main difference that popped out was the soundstage size. It wasn't very subtle either.
  
  
*Sound w/ HE560:*
  
 Again, I used the stock tubes to be fair.
  
 With the HE560, they actually get very loud on high gain, even with huge dynamic range tracks (17+ on the DR index scale) and there is still room to spare on the volume knob. Although it gets loud enough, it's lacking mainly in the bass.
  
 When pushed hard, the bass is audibly distorted/muddy. Not only that, but sub bass has less weight and it just sounds sloppy in general. Other than that, it isn't too bad with the treble, mids, and everything else compared to my Mini X. So, if the Valhalla 2 could get that loud and do fairly decent with the HE560 I imagine that efficient planars like HE-400 should do fine like Schiit says in their FAQ.


----------



## noahcombs

I am very close to taking the plunge and purchasing the Valhalla 2. I see that there is plenty of talk on here of the pairing with the HD800. I on the other hand have the HD600 and am very interested in whether or not the Valhalla 2 is the right choice for me now. I was pretty close to the purchase, but now I am second guessing. (I also have a pair of SE535 IEMs)


----------



## JustinBieber

noahcombs said:


> I am very close to taking the plunge and purchasing the Valhalla 2. I see that there is plenty of talk on here of the pairing with the HD800. I on the other hand have the HD600 and am very interested in whether or not the Valhalla 2 is the right choice for me now. I was pretty close to the purchase, but now I am second guessing. (I also have a pair of SE535 IEMs)


 
 I used to have HD600 + the original Valhalla. They were an excellent match IMO. I don't think you'll be disappointed, and in the rare case you dislike it, Schiit does no questions asked returns for a small fee.


----------



## noahcombs

justinbieber said:


> I used to have HD600 + the original Valhalla. They were an excellent match IMO. I don't think you'll be disappointed, and in the rare case you dislike it, Schiit does no questions asked returns for a small fee.


 
 I'm not a person who ever returns anything. That is why I want to be so sure. I appreciate the reply. I am pretty sure I'll do it now. But just for more info, will my Dragonfly v1.2 be a sufficient DAC to pair with it? Or should I shell out a little extra and get one by Schiit to go with it?


----------



## JustinBieber

noahcombs said:


> I'm not a person who ever returns anything. That is why I want to be so sure. I appreciate the reply. I am pretty sure I'll do it now. But just for more info, will my Dragonfly v1.2 be a sufficient DAC to pair with it? Or should I shell out a little extra and get one by Schiit to go with it?


 
 Should be good enough. I had mine setup with Modi which is somewhat in the same league.
  
 DACs don't make a huge sound difference IMO (it's there, but subtle), especially with midrange headphones. I personally had a hard time telling the difference between Gamma 2 and the Burson Conductor SL's Ti 1793 and Sabre 9018 using the HD600.


----------



## noahcombs

justinbieber said:


> Should be good enough. I had mine setup with Modi which is somewhat in the same league.
> 
> DACs don't make a huge sound difference IMO (it's there, but subtle), especially with midrange headphones. I personally had a hard time telling the difference between Gamma 2 and the Burson Soloist SLs Ti 1793 and Sabre 9018 using the HD600.


 
 Thanks again. You just saved me some money for sure. Now I can't wait to get it! Gonna order this weekend most likely.


----------



## Billheiser

noahcombs said:


> I am very close to taking the plunge and purchasing the Valhalla 2. I see that there is plenty of talk on here of the pairing with the HD800. I on the other hand have the HD600 and am very interested in whether or not the Valhalla 2 is the right choice for me now. I was pretty close to the purchase, but now I am second guessing. (I also have a pair of SE535 IEMs)



The hd600 and the Valhalla 2 are a well known synergistic combination. In other words, a match made in heaven.


----------



## MattTCG

billheiser said:


> The hd600 and the Valhalla 2 are a well known synergistic combination. In other words, a match made in heaven.


 
  
 +1 and the same sort of synergy with the 650 as well.


----------



## bigpook

Hello all, hope this is an ok place to post this.
 I have had the Valhalla 2 for a few weeks now and am enjoying the sound. Very nice experience.
  
 I would like to know how the amplifier works. Explain it like I am 5 years old : )
 There are 4 tubes, what are they doing? Why does the Lyr only have 2?
  
 The device runs very hot but from what I read that is normal for a tube amp. 
 Is the Valhalla 2 a real tube amp? May be a stupid question...but
  
 I have a Bravo Ocean which has only one tube. This device sounds pretty good too, but not as nice as the Schiit.
 I noticed the tubes get very hot on the Valhalla but do not on the Bravo. I am thinking they are being used in a different way. Not sure.
  
 Thanks for the help!


----------



## MattTCG

The Val is a full OTL amp whereas the Lyr 2 is a hybrid...hence the difference in the tubes. Just take a look at the description page as well as the FAQ and you you'll likely find all your answers.
  
 http://schiit.com/products/valhalla-2


----------



## lljayll

I have no idea why this amp isn't talked about more. Schiit did an amazing job with this thing. Better than the bottlehead crack with speedball in my opinion. It also costs less. I just got it and so far it is better than expected.


----------



## MattTCG

lljayll said:


> I have no idea why this amp isn't talked about more. Schiit did an amazing job with this thing. Better than the bottlehead crack with speedball in my opinion. It also costs less. I just got it and so far it is better than expected.


 
  
 +1 I made this same comment a few weeks ago. I don't know that I'd call it better than the BHC w/sb, just different. The BHC is a tube amp that sounds tubey. The Val2 is a tube amp that sounds...well. solid state. It's very clean and resolving. Beautiful with the hd600/650/800. It also sounds very good with the ma900 and if you put it on high gain it works pretty darn good with efficient planars like the he400/400i.


----------



## lljayll

Yes that was a poor choice of words on my part. That is the perfect way to describe the two amps. The valhalla actually does sound like a solid state amp.


----------



## MattTCG

Hey, love your avatar. Wish my kids were still that young.


----------



## lljayll

She's my niece. Thanks.


----------



## icomrade

Right out of the packaging these '60s Foton tubes sound awesome. Definitely a little more open and distant sounding. Not sure if I like the distance this adds but I really like the openness it adds (this is a very minor thing to me, however); I'm going to wait until these puppies get some hours on them.


----------



## MattTCG

I feel that this amp is still flying way under the radar around here. Maybe I need to start a tour. Drives the following incredibly well:
  
 *hd600
  
 *hd650
  
 *sony ma900
  
 *he400i 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 *hd800 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	






  
 *vsonic gr07 mkii (iems)


----------



## Rem0o

matttcg said:


> I feel that this amp is still flying way under the radar around here. Maybe I need to start a tour. Drives the following incredibly well:
> 
> *hd600
> 
> ...


 
 You forgot the Beyers, all of them.


----------



## MattTCG

rem0o said:


> You forgot the Beyers, all of them.


 
  
 You are right..."all the Beyers."


----------



## zilch0md

icomrade said:


> Right out of the packaging these '60s Foton tubes sound awesome. Definitely a little more open and distant sounding. *Not sure if I like the distance this adds *but I really like the openness it adds (this is a very minor thing to me, however); I'm going to wait until these puppies get some hours on them.







justinbieber said:


> Ugh, wish I could get them. I'm about flat out broke since I just got the Val 2 and HD800.
> 
> The stock tubes actually aren't bad at all. I have some $80 a pair Matsush1ta (1 = i, spam filter thinks I'm cursing) E88CCs with Mullard tooling and rolled them. Soundstage is huge on these *but with the HD800 everything seemed way too distant.* I actually somewhat prefer the stock tubes to them since it has a more in your face sound.




The feeling that I was seated in the rear of the auditorium, plus a lack of dynamics, is why I returned the Valhalla 2, but it's remarkable with the HD800 in many respects.


----------



## ModestMeowth

zilch0md said:


> The feeling that I was seated in the rear of the auditorium, plus a lack of dynamics, is why I returned the Valhalla 2, but it's remarkable with the HD800 in many respects.


 
 I'm considering getting the Valhalla 2 for my HD800, can you go more into detail on why you returned it? Thanks!


----------



## Feynman

Is the Valhalla 2 a big step up compared to the Vali? I bought my HD800's this spring and I've been using them with the Vali ever since, sounds very good imho but you know, you can always find something better


----------



## zilch0md

modestmeowth said:


> I'm considering getting the Valhalla 2 for my HD800, can you go more into detail on why you returned it? Thanks!


 
  
 Hi ModestMeowth,
  
 First, I would like to encourage you to try it with your HD800, before listening to me or any other people who have moved on.  
  
 I also want to confess that I have a bias against using tube gear, because I immediately fall into wondering whether it would sound better if I were to try these tubes or those tubes, instead of just accepting the amp with its stock tubes. I tend to get obsessive with such things, as evidenced by the many hours I've spent rolling op-amps in my iBasso PB2 portable amp. 
  
 But getting back to the sound of the Valhalla 2, in the context of my personal tastes, I appreciated it for its neutrality, its resolution, and most significantly, for how it exhibits none of the edginess one normally hears with most solid state amps driving the HD800.  But, as I mentioned earlier, I was surprised at how laid back the Valhalla 2 sounds - as if you are seated well back from the stage, instead of front and center.  The sound stage is huge with the Valhalla 2 > HD800, greater than I'm accustomed, from years of listening to the LCD-2 on solid state amps, especially.  In time, I could have adapted, I'm sure. Along with the distant seating, however, came a lack of dynamics - a lack of punch or slam.  In truth, and I say this with almost a forced humility, that laid back, big soundstage, reduced dynamics sound of the Valhalla 2 (relative to my OPPO HA-1, for example) translates to a more natural and realistic sound than I'm used to hearing.  In other words, I'm admitting that I'm probably conditioned to enjoy a level of dynamics and closeness that is quite unnatural - but its what I like!  
  
 Again, I'll say, in time, I could have adapted, but I'm on a (ridiculous) quest to push my HD800 in the direction of sounding like the LCD-2.  I know I'll never get there, but the Valhalla 2 was a move in the wrong direction for what I'm trying to achieve - except that it had none of the harsh treble that the HD800 is so effective at revealing in my solid state amps.
  
 In short, I think the Valhalla 2 is a great amp for the HD800, but I'm trying to feed the HD800 with a signal that will allow it to retain its many strengths, while also acquiring some attributes of the LCD-2 (as defined by my tastes).
  
 Mike


----------



## frankrondaniel

Interesting how we all hear differently.  In regards to the sound stage with HD800's, rather than feeling like I'm seated away from the stage, I'm finding the sound too upfront, almost in my face.  I would prefer to hear a little more distance and air.  This is with the stock tubes by the way.  I've only had the Vahalla 2 for a few weeks now, so maybe my impression will change with more burn-in.


----------



## icomrade

frankrondaniel said:


> Interesting how we all hear differently.  In regards to the sound stage with HD800's, rather than feeling like I'm seated away from the stage, I'm finding the sound too upfront, almost in my face.  I would prefer to hear a little more distance and air.  This is with the stock tubes by the way.  I've only had the Vahalla 2 for a few weeks now, so maybe my impression will change with more burn-in.


 
 Get some Foton 6N6Ps, I got '60s but I hear some people prefer the '70s Novosibirsk tubes. I found the Foton tubes I got to add a little more separation and distance; with some more time on the tubes I think that I like them a bit more than the stock ones. 
  
 It cost me about 50 dollars for the tubes I got but the 70 tubes are cheaper, you can also get some box-plate versions for around 100 a pair.
  
 Edit: I want to add that the separation helped vocals come out of complex/low-end heavy music a bit.


----------



## MattTCG

Can I ask where you picked up those tubes?


----------



## icomrade

matttcg said:


> Can I ask where you picked up those tubes?


 
 eBay http://www.ebay.com/itm/111386804844?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
  
 The seller is great, although his listings are a bit pricey compared to others. There;s no channel imbalance or issues with matching, he even provides test data and lets you chose the pair you want. If you shoot him a reasonable offer he will work with you on price as well.


----------



## MattTCG

Thanks for that!! Great looking tubes. I might have to give them a shot.


----------



## icomrade

matttcg said:


> Thanks for that!! Great looking tubes. I might have to give them a shot.


 
 Yes they are!


----------



## MattTCG

Are you using stock tubes on the other set?


----------



## icomrade

matttcg said:


> Are you using stock tubes on the other set?


 
 Yep they are stock. When I can justify the upgrade I'm going to roll to Siemens CCAs or Phillips SQ E88CCs


----------



## MattTCG

The Siemens CCA are my holy grail. One day...


----------



## frankrondaniel

Just wanted to do a quick comment on some tube rolling that I've done.  Using my HD800's, I was never very happy with the stock tubes - plenty of power but too much of an up-front, in my face kind of sound stage for my taste.  Also, I felt there was kind of a greyness to the sound, lacking color (if that makes sense to talk about sound in terms of color?). I think the my impression improved with burn-in (device or brain burn-in?) but the essential characteristics of the sound stayed the same to me. The past couple of days I've been using Telefunken 6922 Cryo in place of the stock 12XA7 tubes.  I don't recall where I got the idea to try them out (probably somewhere on this thread) but they're making a significant difference (at a somewhat steep cost unfortunately).  The sound stage seems more open - certainly wider if not as much depth.  There's more air and separation between instruments.  There also seems to be more of the color that I alluded to earlier - I'm not what other word to use.  There seems to be greater extension on both the low and high ends.  Initially, it seemed like there was a loss of low-end punch but I don't think that's the case now - it's just not as apparent with the more open sound.  At first the highs also seemed to be a little bit more harsh and bright but that seems to have settled down nicely.  One thing I'd like to hear though is some more weight to the mids - they seem to be a bit thin now.  I'm curious to know if another tube would add that without losing what I'm currently liking about this combination.  Possibly that might come with more burn-in?
  
 On another note, I'm curious to know if anyone else has an issue with the "Input 1" RCA jacks being loose?  Just noticed today that they jiggle a bit when I attach the cables.  The "Input 2" RCA jacks are more solid.


----------



## MattTCG

^^ All inputs are solid for me. Maybe an email to Schiit?


----------



## frankrondaniel

matttcg said:


> ^^ All inputs are solid for me. Maybe an email to Schiit?


 
  
 Yeah - sent them one last night.  Waiting to hear what they say.


----------



## frankrondaniel

Just wanted to make an update to my previous comments regarding the V2 with the HD800s.  Just let it play all day with the Telefunken tubes - they have some hours on them now.  This thing is really sounding nice.  I don't know how this compares with more expensive and highly regarded tube amps such as Eddie Current or DNA, since I've never heard them, but I can say without hesitation that I'm very pleased - what a bargain!  You just can't judge this guy based on the stock tubes though.


----------



## new reformation

Hey Matt, or anyone else who has heard the V2 and the Crack+SB, could you give me your impressions on the strengths of each amp with the HD650's?  I'm super surprised at the lack of info and impressions to be found at large on the V2.  
  
 From what I have read the Crack+SB has a euphonic sound with quite a bit of punch. I am just worried that the combo will be too warm and lack resolve.  If you could only have the Crack+SB or the Valhalla 2 to pair with your 650's what would you pick?


----------



## MattTCG

new reformation said:


> Hey Matt, or anyone else who has heard the V2 and the Crack+SB, could you give me your impressions on the strengths of each amp with the HD650's?  I'm super surprised at the lack of info and impressions to be found at large on the V2.
> 
> From what I have read the Crack+SB has a euphonic sound with quite a bit of punch. I am just worried that the combo will be too warm and lack resolve.  If you could only have the Crack+SB or the Valhalla 2 to pair with your 650's what would you pick?


 
  
 The Val 2 was a better IMO for the 800. I loved the crack with the hd6x0, but the signature just got to mushy/tubey with the crack/800. The Val 2 allows the 800 to play out it's strengths while lending just a slight tilt of tube goodness.


----------



## new reformation

Thanks for the reply!
  
 Wow.  I am kind of surprised at how well the Crack/HD650 combo ranks considering BOTH components are considered thick sounding.   I would have thought the net result would be over the edge...
  
 I really enjoy my HD650's and want an amp that is clear but adds a touch more bass quantity/slam and a touch more treble than my current set up (I plan on feeding my amp with a modi and building a DIY version of a Corda crossfeed with adjustable bass, treble and crossfeed level). Does the high damping factor of the Val 2 provide any noticeable advantage over the Crack+SB?


----------



## MattTCG

The Crack and Val 2 sound just about as different as two tube amps can sound. The Val sounds more like a solid state amp than a tube amp. But since you've got a crack already, why not try it with the 800 to see if it happens to curl your toes anyway. Nothing to loose.


----------



## BobG55

matttcg said:


> The Crack and Val 2 sound just about as different as two tube amps can sound. The Val sounds more like a solid state amp than a tube amp. But since you've got a crack already, why not try it with the 800 to see if it happens to curl your toes anyway. Nothing to loose.


 

 Hi Matt,
  
 Long time.  How do you find the synergy between the Val 2 & the HD600 ?  Do you use different tubes with the HD600 than with the HD800, or do you just use the same ones ?
  
 Thanks.


----------



## grrorr76

Today I took delivery of a analog Uber USB Bifrost. What a revelation paired with my Valhalla 2 and my Beyer t1 headphones. I came from a Cambridge Dacmagic 100 Dac. The level of micro detail this Dac with the amp reveals is quite unbelievable.  It is akin to being in another room with the other dad. Now I am in the same room as the musicians . The combination of the 3 products is simply wonderful . Hugh congrats to I ordered it on Thursday Australian time and it arrived midday Monday from America .


----------



## MattTCG

bobg55 said:


> Hi Matt,
> 
> Long time.  How do you find the synergy between the Val 2 & the HD600 ?  Do you use different tubes with the HD600 than with the HD800, or do you just use the same ones ?
> 
> Thanks.


 
  
 There is very good synergy between the 600 and Val 2. I just got a crack on loan and I plan to do some testing. But I love how the pairing sound with the 600/Val 2 right now. The resolution and tone are just top notch. This is all with stock tubes.
  
 I just learned that I can roll tubes from lyr to the Val 2 on the driver side. This will open up some options for me this week to experiment with. Short answer, this is a very enjoyable combo for me.


----------



## icomrade

grrorr76 said:


> Today I took delivery of a analog Uber USB Bifrost. What a revelation paired with my Valhalla 2 and my Beyer t1 headphones. I came from a Cambridge Dacmagic 100 Dac. The level of micro detail this Dac with the amp reveals is quite unbelievable.  It is akin to being in another room with the other dad. Now I am in the same room as the musicians . The combination of the 3 products is simply wonderful . Hugh congrats to I ordered it on Thursday Australian time and it arrived midday Monday from America .


 
 I am looking to get either an uberfrost or a Meridian Director. I wish I could get some comparisons, but all I know is that they are both very very good DACs on their own, I can get both for the same price so that's not a factor. I really like the design of Meridian products, much more than Schiit's designs, but if it doesn't sound better than I really don't care how it looks


----------



## BobG55

matttcg said:


> bobg55 said:
> 
> 
> > Hi Matt,
> ...


 

 Looking forward to reading your comments about the Crack vs Val 2 & the Lyr tubes.


----------



## Amalz

http://www.head-fi.org/t/738742/valhalla-2-proplems-blew-beyer-dt-990-6000hm-i-need-help


----------



## Billheiser

amalz said:


> http://www.head-fi.org/t/738742/valhalla-2-proplems-blew-beyer-dt-990-6000hm-i-need-help


 
 Perhaps you can post the same thing in way too many forums and threads?  Oh, wait, you already did.


----------



## Otheronek

Nevermind.....


----------



## punit

Has anyone heard the Fostex TH 600 / 900 on the Valhalla 2 ?


----------



## Billheiser

Very briefly; but the 900 sure sounded great!


----------



## ksufiji

Can anyone tell me about the HE-500s and this amp? I have this and the 650s, but am itching to get some 500s with the new price drop... Schiit told me not so good, but wanted to get some more opinions before i completely gut my setup to afford a new amp/headphones...Thanks!


----------



## punit

This seems to be really popular. Back ordered till 3rd week November on Schiit site. Rest of the amps have ready stock available.


----------



## No_One411

ksufiji said:


> Can anyone tell me about the HE-500s and this amp? I have this and the 650s, but am itching to get some 500s with the new price drop... Schiit told me not so good, but wanted to get some more opinions before i completely gut my setup to afford a new amp/headphones...Thanks!


 
 I mean...you already heard it from Schiit themselves already, will any of our opinions really change your decision?
  
 For planar magnetic headphones, your best bet would probably be the Lyr 2, but the Asgard 2 and Vali would be fine as well. I'm very happy with the Vali.
  
 Valhalla 2 will pair better with high impedance headphones like HD650 or DT880/600 ohms. (HD800/T1 as well if that's in your price range)


----------



## jbarrentine

Can someone tell me how hot the Valhalla 2 gets?
  
 Just warm?
  
 Burning hot?
  
 If I accidentally left it on and went to work would it burn the house down?


----------



## Billheiser

jbarrentine said:


> Can someone tell me how hot the Valhalla 2 gets?
> 
> Just warm?
> 
> ...


 

 1.  Gradually warms up to a stable hot state.
 2.  More than warm.
 3.  Not burning hot, not cooking hot, just plain hot.  Not as hot as a 75W light bulb.
 4.  No of course not.


----------



## JustinBieber

jbarrentine said:


> Can someone tell me how hot the Valhalla 2 gets?
> 
> Just warm?
> 
> ...


 
 I leave mine on for 10-12 hours + on the weekends since I have nothing else better to do, so I doubt it will burn the house down if you leave it on all day. 
  
 It does run quite hot. But this is normal apparently for most Schiit amps.


----------



## JustinBieber

Anybody start tube rolling with Val 2? Any cheap fixes for ~$50 or so, for either the 6n6p or 6n1p? I was looking at Foton gold grids for 6n6p, and maybe used Gold Lions or a JAN Phillips 6922 for the 6n1p.


----------



## icomrade

justinbieber said:


> Anybody start tube rolling with Val 2? Any cheap fixes for ~$50 or so, for either the 6n6p or 6n1p? I was looking at Foton gold grids for 6n6p, and maybe used Gold Lions or a JAN Phillips 6922 for the 6n1p.


 
 I have foton gold grids 6n6p. They sound wonderful, but they are really a minor upgrade, the stock power tubes are quite good. Haven't done any A/B comparisons since I got them though, so they may be significantly better, but I'm airing on the side of slightly better.


----------



## frankrondaniel

I kind of went a little crazy trying out some NOS tubes.  With my HD800's, I found the stock tubes to be too forward, somewhat opaque and airless.  Ediswan CV2492/6922, Amperex JAN 7308 and Telefunken E88CC all opened up the sound stage, provided more color to the sound, more air and separation between instruments.  Of the 3, the Telefunken seems the most neutral but almost to a fault.  I prefer the Ediswan and Amperex as they seem to add some more warmth that I prefer.  The Amperex seems to give the largest soundstage, the Ediswan is a little more intimate.  All 3 are very smooth from top to bottom with the HD800's.  I'll have to go back to the stock soon to see if it's all my imagination!


----------



## Billheiser

amalz said:


> Do recommend me_ __LYR 2_ with my headphone LCD-2 F,HE-500,HD800?
> Because i heard the _Valhalla 2_ is the best for HD800, And the _Lyr 2_ is the best for LCD-2 and HE-500 ( Planar Headphone )
> 
> What you think guy's buy Lyr 2 or Valhalla 2?


 

 Don't cross post.


----------



## Rusty143

I have rolled in some mullard 6dj8 tubes. This creates a thicker, fuller sound than the stock tubes. Tends to lack a bit of immediacy for me. Just put in some Telefunkens and the provide a much more detailed and immediate sound. Really nice tubes with this amp and HD600s.


----------



## Neworleanssoone

I am currently feeding my HD 600's from my computer through a Fiio E 17. Will the the E 17 be a sufficient DAC for this amp until I can afford to upgrade?


----------



## mikescchen

For that I can say: no.
 I was using Beyer T1 + Fiio E17+E09K combo.
 Just bought Valhalla 2 recently to replace the E09K.
 The stage opens up a bit, much better lower bass, but almost no resolution improvement.
 I think the latter is caused by E17.
  
 It's still a bang for the buck, just not enough for V2+HD600.
 I'm planning to replace it with Bifrost uber or W4S uDAC (not uDAC-HD) later.


----------



## TheBell

Wow, took me a while to get through the 17 pages of this thread.
  
 I think you've all convinced me to give it a try. Will pair it with Beyerdynamic DT880 600 Ohm version headphones and a Musical Fidelity V-DAC.
  
 It will be my first tube amp, so feeling quite curious about it. Will have to do some serious catch up as well.


----------



## drheadphone

I got the Val2 last month and I'm liking it so far with my HD800 and HD650. For a while, I found the HD800 paired well with the Amperex ECC88's, like the Bugle Boys, the PQ 6922's, the "Orange globes", due to their characteristically warmer sound and somewhat wide sound stage. But almost every pair I've tried with the Val2 ended up had varying degrees of noise. So I've since switched back to Russian 6N1P's which so far are dead silent. My favorite so far is the 1960s Novosibirsk with three micas.


----------



## timkwhite

Add me to the V2 owners club. I purchased a Valhalla 2 and Bifrost (no USB, no Uber) from Shiit's Amazon B-Stock listings about a month ago. I sent them a few questions regarding the condition of the b-stock and received responses within 10 minutes (try that XXXYYY large corporation support) assuring me there would be little if any cosmetic blemishes. So I took the plunge and am I ever happy I did. I was using an Asus Essence STX sound card with the built in headphone amp with a pair of Sennheiser HD650's. I was pretty happy with that combination and would most likely still be using it if I hadn't attended a local meetup here in Metro Detroit. After that little event (we had everything from 20 dollar HP's to a couple Eddie Current setups; quite the spread in dollar amounts), I decided that I could do better (just throw money at it).
  
 At the meetup I plugged my HP's into anything and everything I could including a Schiit Asgard and a Decware Taboo, both using my Asus STX as a DAC. I wasn't thrilled with the Asgard but the Decware was just fantastic. But of course it should be for around 1600 USD. So I started looking into the differences in DAC's and tube vs SS amps. Long, long story very short, I ended up with the Bifrost and Valhalla 2.
  
 This combination just makes the HD650's absolutely shine with every type of genre I can throw at it. At the moment I am a big fan of female vocals and this combination is truly fantastic. I have absolutely no regrets with my upgrade.
  
 At the moment, listening to Norah Jones and the sound is fantastic!


----------



## frankrondaniel

drheadphone said:


> I got the Val2 last month and I'm liking it so far with my HD800 and HD650. For a while, I found the HD800 paired well with the Amperex ECC88's, like the Bugle Boys, the PQ 6922's, the "Orange globes", due to their characteristically warmer sound and somewhat wide sound stage. But almost every pair I've tried with the Val2 ended up had varying degrees of noise. So I've since switched back to Russian 6N1P's which so far are dead silent. My favorite so far is the 1960s Novosibirsk with three micas.


 
  
 So far I think my favorite for the HD800 has been Amperex 7308's.  Nice soundstage, warm but nice extension on both ends that still tames the highs for me.  I just started trying out a set of Philips Holland SQ E88CC/6922.  Initial impressions are that it's very mid-centric, with a darker, fuller sound that gives weight to the notes but at the expense of a smaller soundstage and maybe a too rolled off high end.  I'm curious to see how it changes with burn-in.
  
 In regards to noise, are you talking about hum or tube microphonics (if that's the correct term)?  The Amperex 7308's seem dead quiet to me and no microphonics.  However, while there's no noticeable hum, the Philips E88CC's are quite microphonic.  The seem to pickup any vibrations - even my headphone cable hitting against something.  It really hasn't been in issue in practice though - I normally don't move around much when listening.


----------



## vocalstrance

Has anyone used the valhalla 2 as a preamp to a SS power amp? How would this affect the sound?


----------



## glooory

Not really sure how I should manage this;
  
 I currently have a maverick D1+ working as a DAC on my speakers system and a Beyer DT 770 250 Ohm plugged on it (because it also make headphones amplifier)
  
 After some research, I think that the Vahalla 2 is going to be my next purchase.
  
 I've read in this topic that you guys put a DAC before the Vah 2. Is it a problem to put a tube dac (d1+) before it ? Should I get another one ?
  
 The idea I have is to route like this : PC > USB on d1+ > Schiit Vah2 >DT770
                                                                                                     > RCA output to my amp for external speakers
  
  
  
 Thanks


----------



## JustinBieber

On the note of planars being powered with Valhalla 2, I'm currently set up with an Oppo PM-1 and Valhalla 2 handles it well. With low gain I'm at about 30-50% volume for most recordings and 70-80% for some vinyl rips with a high dynamic range. No need for high gain and no clipping. These are very efficient so anyone looking into purchasing a PM-1/2 IMO doesn't need to look into a new amp if they already have Valhalla 2. 
  
 The PM-1 does scale a bit with higher power amps (on my 70s integrated JA-S55 and 60s Fisher 400) but it's not a huge difference. I feel Valhalla 2 is most of the way there already.


----------



## Mentis

Can someone here please recommend me an amp that goes well with both HD800 and Alpha Dog? Thanks!


----------



## Amlalsulami

mentis said:


> Can someone here please recommend me an amp that goes well with both HD800 and Alpha Dog? Thanks!


 
 a lot of ppl said the best for HD800 is a Valhalla 2


----------



## Mentis

amlalsulami said:


> a lot of ppl said the best for HD800 is a Valhalla 2


 
 Hello thank you for your reply.  Would the Valhalla 2 do well with Alpha Dogs?  I read somewhere Lyr 2 is better for Alpha Dog.... but worse for HD800... and I don't want to buy 2 Schiit amps... -_-.... thx again!


----------



## Amlalsulami

mentis said:


> Hello thank you for your reply.  Would the Valhalla 2 do well with Alpha Dogs?  I read somewhere Lyr 2 is better for Alpha Dog.... but worse for HD800... and I don't want to buy 2 Schiit amps... -_-.... thx again!


 
 IMO the Lyr 2 is very good with my HD800, Great combo!! I enjoy with this combo


----------



## Mentis

Cool! then I'll probably get a Lyr 2 like you then.  What tubes do you use on it with your HD800?  thx again for your reply


----------



## SHFT

Deleted


----------



## lukeap69

mentis said:


> Cool! then I'll probably get a Lyr 2 like you then.  What tubes do you use on it with your HD800?  thx again for your reply


 
 The Lyr 2 is good match for HD800, but there are better amps on the same price or cheaper. I've read that the Valhalla 2 is 'better' for HD800 compared to Lyr. I have HD800 and Lyr 2 (with Amperex OG or Tesla Gold pins) which is good pairing, however my cheaper SS amp Gustard H10 pairs better with the HD800. The tone, to me, is better with the H10 and so are the dynamics and instruments separation. If I didn't hear the HD800 with the H10, I will be happy with the Lyr 2 (Amperex OG tubes) and the HD800. YMMV.


----------



## Noobeh

Does anyone know if it's worth upgrading from a Valhalla 1 to the 2?


----------



## MattTCG

IMO yes, no question.


----------



## Noobeh

Could you explain your reasoning please? Thanks!


----------



## Billheiser

noobeh said:


> Does anyone know if it's worth upgrading from a Valhalla 1 to the 2?


 I have Valhalla 2; haven't heard the original Valhalla. But the 2 has the low/high gain switch, which makes it more versatile for more headphone choices. And variable RCA outs, for use as a preamp or to directly drive powered speakers.


----------



## amnesiac75

Has anyone done a comparison of the valhalla 2 to the asgard 2 with the sennheiser hd600. I owned both the asgard 2 and the valhalla 1 at the same time with these headphones and thought the valhalla was a little better but sold it due to the lack of a gain switch and pre outs. Would be very interested in a comparison.


----------



## cocolinho

I had the chance to try Valhalla 2 with HD800 and it sounds wonderful, my next purchase for sure!


----------



## DACattack

amnesiac75 said:


> Has anyone done a comparison of the valhalla 2 to the asgard 2 with the sennheiser hd600. I owned both the asgard 2 and the valhalla 1 at the same time with these headphones and thought the valhalla was a little better but sold it due to the lack of a gain switch and pre outs. Would be very interested in a comparison.


 

@amnesiac75 I have the Asgard 2 and the sennheiser HD 600s, which I think is a wonderful pairing, and I'm waiting on a Valhalla 2 from Schiit. I'll post some initial impressions between the amps, once I receive it (unfortunately, though, per Alex from Schiit on the Schiit Happened thread, that still might be a while).
  
  


cocolinho said:


> I had the chance to try Valhalla 2 with HD800 and it sounds wonderful, my next purchase for sure!


 

@cocolinho That's nice to hear. I found the HD 800 for a really good price during Black Friday weekend and pulled the trigger and can't wait to hear them with the Valhalla 2. Did you hear the amp with the stock tubes?


----------



## cocolinho

yes stock tubes & dacmagic


----------



## JustinBieber

What's the next step up from Valhalla 2 with just the HD800? I really like its neutral signature and black background for reference. Who has stepped up to a $700-800ish tube amp and can offer insight on comparisons?
  
 I can probably get a used Decware CSP3 or WA6SE with xmas $.


----------



## hodgjy

justinbieber said:


> What's the next step up from Valhalla 2 with just the HD800? I really like its neutral signature and black background for reference. Who has stepped up to a $700-800ish tube amp and can offer insight on comparisons?
> 
> I can probably get a used Decware CSP3 or WA6SE with xmas $.


 
 You don't need a tube amp to get smooth and neutral. The TEAC HA-501 is very smooth and linear, with a completely black background. I've read around the internet that many people like it it with the HD800.  I love it with any headphone I plug into it.


----------



## Noobeh

billheiser said:


> I have Valhalla 2; haven't heard the original Valhalla. But the 2 has the low/high gain switch, which makes it more versatile for more headphone choices. And variable RCA outs, for use as a preamp or to directly drive powered speakers.


 
 Ahh I see, but would you know if the sound signature/tone has changed between the first and second? And if it has, is it significant or negligible?


----------



## Billheiser

noobeh said:


> Ahh I see, but would you know if the sound signature/tone has changed between the first and second? And if it has, is it significant or negligible?



I don't know that for sure myself, having not heard version 1. Schiit says there are circuit design changes which help the 2 sound better.


----------



## SHFT

Will the Valhalla 2 be the right choice for my HE-300?


----------



## new reformation

matttcg said:


> There is very good synergy between the 600 and Val 2. I just got a crack on loan and I plan to do some testing. But I love how the pairing sound with the 600/Val 2 right now. The resolution and tone are just top notch. This is all with stock tubes.
> 
> I just learned that I can roll tubes from lyr to the Val 2 on the driver side. This will open up some options for me this week to experiment with. Short answer, this is a very enjoyable combo for me.


 

 Hey Matt.  Awesome to know that there is a interesting cheap rolling option from the manufacturer.  How would you compare stock valhalla 2 tubes to the 6BZ7 tubes that come with the Lyr?  Is it worth purchasing as an upgrade/sidegrade?  If i purchase the Vahalla 2 and the Lyr tubes are better I would rather just buy everything at one time.


----------



## Billheiser

shft said:


> Will the Valhalla 2 be the right choice for my HE-300?


 

 Yes.  Good amp good phones.  Use the low gain setting on the amp.
  
 (When first got the HE300, I thought it was weird sounding, compared to HE400i and HD600.  Now I'm used to it and have a higher opinion.  No idea if it needed burn-in, or if it's just the listener)


----------



## MattTCG

new reformation said:


> Hey Matt.  Awesome to know that there is a interesting cheap rolling option from the manufacturer.  How would you compare stock valhalla 2 tubes to the 6BZ7 tubes that come with the Lyr?  Is it worth purchasing as an upgrade/sidegrade?  If i purchase the Vahalla 2 and the Lyr tubes are better I would rather just buy everything at one time.


 
  
 It's good to see this amp getting some of the recognition and accolades that it deserves. Honestly though, all of the tube rolling that I did with the Val 2 produced very subtle changes. The stock tubes are very good...and free.


----------



## SHFT

billheiser said:


> Yes.  Good amp good phones.  Use the low gain setting on the amp.
> 
> (When first got the HE300, I thought it was weird sounding, compared to HE400i and HD600.  Now I'm used to it and have a higher opinion.  No idea if it needed burn-in, or if it's just the listener)




Allright thanks for the info. It will be a great Christmas!


----------



## Billheiser

shft said:


> Allright thanks for the info. It will be a great Christmas!


How do you like the he300? I got mine on Amazon for $149 so I think they're very good for the price.


----------



## new reformation

Amazon has  the Valhalla 2 (B-stock) on sale for only $300.00!  Just thought I would let everyone here know since there are only 2 left. 
  
  
 On the side discussion regarding the he300, I was oddly annoyed by the sound signature.. They were very much inferior to the K712's I had just returned (because of a defect).  They do quite a bit right for their price but I think the Hifiman sound sig just doesn't suit me well. Glad y'all are enjoying them though! Different likes and dislikes are what keeps the personal audio field interesting.


----------



## Billheiser

new reformation said:


> Amazon has  the Valhalla 2 (B-stock) on sale for only $300.00!  Just thought I would let everyone here know since there are only 2 left.
> 
> 
> On the side discussion regarding the he300, I was oddly annoyed by the sound signature.. They were very much inferior to the K712's I had just returned (because of a defect).  They do quite a bit right for their price but I think the Hifiman sound sig just doesn't suit me well. Glad y'all are enjoying them though! Different likes and dislikes are what keeps the personal audio field interesting.


I almost yanked them off my head when I first had them and compared them to the 400i & the hd600. There was a hollowness there. However, after burn-in, or "burn-in", and switching them to a different source and keeping them far away from the hd600, I now appreciate them more. They are full range and give a sense of space. I think they compete with anything at their current $150 price level. Pretty comfortable too. The silver coated copper cable that the later models came with is clumsy and microphonic, and I replaced that with a more sensible one.


----------



## new reformation

LOL. I think that the terrible cable was part of my dislike of the headphones.  It's like they found the stiffest, most microphonic cable possible and decided to go for it. The guy who runs Hifiman has insisted that cable upgrades are one of the easiest ways to upgrade a headphone's sound... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.  Makes me think that perhaps the decisions being made aren't the most informed.
  
  
 Speaking to the topic at hand, with the HE300's being low impedance headphones did you find that they work well with the Valhalla 2?  I really enjoy my NAD HP50's and am interested in whether I should keep my Magni once my Valhalla 2 gets in.


----------



## cocolinho

new reformation said:


> Amazon has  the Valhalla 2 (B-stock) on sale for only $300.00!  Just thought I would let everyone here know since there are only 2 left.
> 
> 
> On the side discussion regarding the he300, I was oddly annoyed by the sound signature.. They were very much inferior to the K712's I had just returned (because of a defect).  They do quite a bit right for their price but I think the Hifiman sound sig just doesn't suit me well. Glad y'all are enjoying them though! Different likes and dislikes are what keeps the personal audio field interesting.


 

 in the same time, I can't find it new in EU... too sad


----------



## SHFT

billheiser said:


> How do you like the he300? I got mine on Amazon for $149 so I think they're very good for the price.


 
 It is hard to tell for me, it was my first "audiophile" headphone, I like it more than my HD25SP2 that's for sure.


----------



## Billheiser

new reformation said:


> LOL. I think that the terrible cable was part of my dislike of the headphones.  It's like they found the stiffest, most microphonic cable possible and decided to go for it. The guy who runs Hifiman has insisted that cable upgrades are one of the easiest ways to upgrade a headphone's sound... :blink: .  Makes me think that perhaps the decisions being made aren't the most informed.
> 
> 
> Speaking to the topic at hand, with the HE300's being low impedance headphones did you find that they work well with the Valhalla 2?  I really enjoy my NAD HP50's and am interested in whether I should keep my Magni once my Valhalla 2 gets in.



Yes, worked well on the Valhalla 2. Naturally I uses the low gain setting on the amp. 
I also like the hp50's a lot. I mostly used mine straight out if an iPhone and they made it sound great.


----------



## SHFT

new reformation said:


> LOL. I think that the terrible cable was part of my dislike of the headphones.  It's like they found the stiffest, most microphonic cable possible and decided to go for it.


 
  
 The cable is indeed terrible, havn't replaced it yet but it is horrible product design imo


----------



## vocalstrance

Is the Cable problem true for all the cans by HiFiMan? Or is it just their lower end products? I am looking to get the He-560 in the near future. My current use is Beer DT990 600 ohm out of a Schiit M/M stack.


----------



## SHFT

vocalstrance said:


> Is the Cable problem true for all the cans by HiFiMan? Or is it just their lower end products? I am looking to get the He-560 in the near future. My current use is Beer DT990 600 ohm out of a Schiit M/M stack.




The cable does not sound bad. It is just really stiff and very microphonic. The 300 is the only model who has it though.


----------



## Mark DeB

dacattack said:


> @amnesiac75 I have the Asgard 2 and the sennheiser HD 600s, which I think is a wonderful pairing, and I'm waiting on a Valhalla 2 from Schiit. I'll post some initial impressions between the amps, once I receive it (unfortunately, though, per Alex from Schiit on the Schiit Happened thread, that still might be a while).


 
  
 I too would love to hear your impressions.  I thought of ordering a Valhalla 2 just now in order to make the comparison myself, but it looks like they are backordered for a while.  Hope you get your Valhalla 2 soon!


----------



## vocalstrance

Thank You SHFT that is good to hear.


----------



## Billheiser

shft said:


> The cable does not sound bad. It is just really stiff and very microphonic. The 300 is the only model who has it though.


 

 Agree, it sounded fine if one does not move.  It was my understanding that it came on the later models of the HE300, and on the HE500's.  It is still sold on their website ($60) as 
  
"HiFiMAN Silver coated copper cable
(for HE-300/HE-500)"


----------



## migasson

What's the story with this amp and the HD700's?

May consider one...


----------



## new reformation

Wanted to comment here to convey just how awesome this amp is with my HD650's.  
  
 Quick rundown of the improvements over the Magni:
  
          • Bass is much more impactful and dynamic with no added bloat. Sub-bass has been boosted nicely.
  
          • Treble is clearer. If you want to use a phrase like the "the veil is lifted" you can insert it hear.  I won't quite go so far as to say that their was a huge veil in the first place, but this V2 opens up the top to reveal the perfect level of treble shine that stops short of splashiness or harshness.
  
          • Resolution is MUCH better.  I am somewhat fixated on resolution, and the resolving power is incredible with this amp.  Details are being exposed that I never knew where there before in my music.
  
          • Imaging is pretty phenomenal.  Before this amp I though the soundstage and imaging on the HD650 was good, but not amazing.  Turns out it wasn't the cans, but the amp I was using.  Improvements are incredible and immediately obvious.
  
          • Tonality is VERY natural and engaging. Simultaneously, there is an effortless smoothness that I think comes from the tubes. 
  
  
  
 All in all, I really can't imagine the HD650's sounding much better than this.  I can see perhaps upgrading my DAC in the future, but the Valhalla 2 is definitely sticking around permanently. 
  
 Whoever says that the 650's are boring needs to listen to them with this amp!


----------



## ilreceiver

Does anyone have anything to say to this, just found on reddit? Or are those guys paranoid?
  
 Found the following from the original Asgard DC problem youtube video. Some guy still gets diaphragm movement when powering on / off his Valhalla 2. He took some measurements and found the following DC spikes:

 Peak DC Voltage when turning

 on: -0.103v ~ 2.799v

 off: -2.246v ~ 0.971v

 In that thread of comment, apparently someone else also reported similar problems.

 Jason replied, offered a return. Thoughts?


----------



## new reformation

ilreceiver said:


> Does anyone have anything to say to this, just found on reddit? Or are those guys paranoid?
> 
> Found the following from the original Asgard DC problem youtube video. Some guy still gets diaphragm movement when powering on / off his Valhalla 2. He took some measurements and found the following DC spikes:
> 
> ...


 

 Following the proper process for powering-up/down a amp, I unplug my headphones each time.  From what I understood, there shouldn't be a spike because the DC energy loads/dissipates gradually from the amp.  I powered my V2 off with headphones plugged in and I just heard a slight ping from the tubes, but no pop or crinkle.
  
 Do you have this amp already or are you just looking?
  
 I really wouldn't let this "issue" discourage you from the amazing experience that this amp offers with the right headphones.


----------



## ilreceiver

Thanks for the reply. I'm just looking, but I was extremely close to pulling the trigger today. 
  
 So is the proper procedure to plug / unplug while the amp is on, not leaving it plugged while powering on and off? And you are saying that it should be fine even if I leave the phone there all the time?


----------



## new reformation

No problem! My understanding is that the safest way to power on/off an amp is the following:
  
 Power on amplifier (Headphones unplugged) ---> Wait around 20 seconds for tubes to warm up ---> Plug in headphones (With volume knob turned completely down) ---> Adjust volume and enjoy!
 When ready to power down: Turn down volume ---> Unplug headphones ---> Turn amp off.
  
 This should completely avoid any danger, real or imagined, to your headphones. Someone please correct me if I am mistaken about the safest procedure.   The company selling the amp says that they should be fine left plugged in all the time, but I still use the routine above for an extra level of safety.


----------



## ilreceiver

Perfect, thanks for the very informative reply! From your profile, I see that you are pairing Valhalla 2 with HD650, fed in by a Modi? I wonder if the Modi stacks nicely on the left side of the Valhalla 2? Also, have you been able to try the Valhalla 2 with K712 (owned previously)?
  
 Thanks again!


----------



## new reformation

Yep! The Modi feeding the Valhalla 2 sounds really nice.  The Modi is a bit too large to stack on top of the V2 if that is what you meant in your question.  Even if it was, I wouldn't want to risk EM interference with the tubes by placing everything so close.  You could really place the Modi almost anywhere near your computer, even hidden if you so chose.  I use a 6ft RCA cable and a 6ft USB cable.
  
  
 I was unable to try the K712 with the Valhalla 2 because I returned them with a defect that caused severe bass rattle.  They did sound really nice with orchestral music, but a bit too much treble for my taste.  Hypothetically, they wouldn't be the best match for the V2 because they are low impedance AND low efficiency. This means they need an amp that can push them hard at their impedance level, and the Valhalla 2 will only give them a fraction of what a solid state amp like the Magni or a hybrid amp like the Vali or Lyr will provide.
  
 All things considered the HD650 with the Valhalla 2 is pretty much my ideal sound balance.  This doesn't mean that the same will hold true for you, but I can say that I'm thrilled with the set-up.


----------



## ilreceiver

Thanks again for the reply, new info. Have you tried other well-known matches for HD650? e.g. wa6, crack?


----------



## amnesiac75

new reformation said:


> No problem! My understanding is that the safest way to power on/off an amp is the following:
> 
> Power on amplifier (Headphones unplugged) ---> Wait around 20 seconds for tubes to warm up ---> Plug in headphones (With volume knob turned completely down) ---> Adjust volume and enjoy!
> When ready to power down: Turn down volume ---> Unplug headphones ---> Turn amp off.
> ...


I ask schiit about my valhalla 1 when I first bought it and they said I could leave the headphones plugged in when powering on/off and for the 8 months I used it that's just what I did and never had any problems. I also left the headphones plugged in until the blue led faded to black ( usually around 10-20 min) I would guess that in 8 months I powered up/down at least 200 times and all my headphones still work perfectly.


----------



## migasson

Boo. Tried it with the HD700's.. Next to Sennheiser's HDVA600, it was glassy, and slightly harsh. Got on my **** after a while. Thats my two cents. So I bought the Senn amp


----------



## lekoross

I am looking to get my first tube amp. Would someone be able to describe the difference between the Vali, Valhalla (which I can get used for $235) and the Valhalla 2? I use Senn HD600's and mostly listen to jazz and classical. Also, any recommendation of a DAC to pair with one of them?


----------



## grrorr76

lekoross said:


> I am looking to get my first tube amp. Would someone be able to describe the difference between the Vali, Valhalla (which I can get used for $235) and the Valhalla 2? I use Senn HD600's and mostly listen to jazz and classical. Also, any recommendation of a DAC to pair with one of them?


 

 I have the Valhalla 2 . It is a full tube amp and sounds wonderful. I paired it with a Bifrost uber DAC its a fantastic pairing. The Vali I don't own so I can't comment.


----------



## punit

migasson said:


> Boo. Tried it with the HD700's.. Next to Sennheiser's HDVA600, it was glassy, and slightly harsh. Got on my **** after a while. Thats my two cents. So I bought the Senn amp


 

 Were the tubes burnt in properly ? Most tubes sound harsh for the first 100-150 hrs , then they smooth out.


----------



## migasson

punit said:


> Were the tubes burnt in properly ? Most tubes sound harsh for the first 100-150 hrs , then they smooth out.




Yep, shop demo. The Senn HDVA600 kicked seven bells of **** out of it


----------



## migasson

migasson said:


> Yep, shop demo. The Senn HDVA600 kicked seven bells of **** out of it


 
 Having said that.
  
 My comments are in terms of how the amps work with the HD700.
  
 Valhalla (orig) works really well with Fischer FA's and K702's…


----------



## gearofwar

lekoross said:


> I am looking to get my first tube amp. Would someone be able to describe the difference between the Vali, Valhalla (which I can get used for $235) and the Valhalla 2? I use Senn HD600's and mostly listen to jazz and classical. Also, any recommendation of a DAC to pair with one of them?


 

 ^  this, I'm in the same situation where i would go with used Valhalla 1 for my HD650. Can someone help us out?


----------



## grrorr76

Schiits bifrost is a great pairing for the valhalla. I have the valhalla 2 and bifrost uber they sound mighty sweet.


----------



## servicenow

grrorr76 said:


> Schiits bifrost is a great pairing for the valhalla. I have the valhalla 2 and bifrost uber they sound mighty sweet.


 
 Did u get bifrost with usb version ?


----------



## servicenow

migasson said:


> Having said that.
> 
> My comments are in terms of how the amps work with the HD700.
> 
> Valhalla (orig) works really well with Fischer FA's and K702's…


 
 Does it pair well with K701/Q701/K7xx ? Any recommendation for DAC for Valhalla ? Does it work with VDAC ?


----------



## 415906

migasson said:


> Boo. Tried it with the HD700's.. Next to Sennheiser's HDVA600, it was glassy, and slightly harsh. Got on my **** after a while. Thats my two cents. So I bought the Senn Congrats


 
 Congrats on the Sennheiser amp!!! I have the HD700s also and have been reading all the reviews to see which is the best amp to go with. I was also looking at the oppo HA-1. Any idea on that one or is it better to go with separate amp and separate dac???


----------



## obsidyen

415906 said:


> Congrats on the Sennheiser amp!!! I have the HD700s also and have been reading all the reviews to see which is the best amp to go with. I was also looking at the oppo HA-1. Any idea on that one or is it better to go with separate amp and separate dac???


 
  
 Depends HDVD800 has a good dac. But personally I'd buy HDVA 600 and Meridian Director.


----------



## lekoross

Does anyone know of any comparisons between the Valhalla or Valhalla 2 and the La Figaro 339?


----------



## Puma Cat

Hey guys,
 I just got notice today that my V2 shipped today; I will be pairing it with a Modi 2 Uber DAC. This will primarily be a bedroom office system, for use when I am working at the computer. 
  
 Going to roll some tubes in it; it was nice to read of the various reports of folks that rolled tubes into their own units. First thing is I'll roll in some 6922s as I have some around for my Conrad-Johnson tube gear for my loudspeaker based system. But I think I will probably end up with Ediswans as I have them in my CJ LP70S power amp, and they are really very nice once they burn in. 
  
 Interested in trying those Novosibirsk 6N6Ps. 
  
 Side note: my C-J preamp uses 6H30s, also a Russian military tube, and found the Reflektor "DR" models a bit step up over the stock EH tubes. Might look to see if there is a analogous tube for 6N6P applications. 
  
 My Valhalla 2 should be in a few days, I will be using it with my Senn HD600s.


----------



## lekoross

Received my Valhalla 2 after auditioning the Vali, Magni 2 uber, and Valhalla 1. It sounds fantastic with my Modi 2 uber and HD 600's - noticeably warmer than the others. Some of the treble etch I experienced with some subpar recordings on the other amps is gone. Upgrading to Senn 650's and looking forward to doing a little tube rolling. I am very, very pleased, but like many others wish that Schiit would do something about those ridiculous little rubber feet that cheapen such a well-made and classy product. I would happily pay a few dollars more for some screw in feet. Other than that I would highly recommend this set up.


----------



## Puma Cat

lekoross said:


> Received my Valhalla 2 after auditioning the Vali, Magni 2 uber, and Valhalla 1. It sounds fantastic with my Modi 2 uber and HD 600's - noticeably warmer than the others. Some of the treble etch I experienced with some subpar recordings on the other amps is gone. Upgrading to Senn 650's and looking forward to doing a little tube rolling. I am very, very pleased, but like many others wish that Schiit would do something about those ridiculous little rubber feet that cheapen such a well-made and classy product. I would happily pay a few dollars more for some screw in feet. Other than that I would highly recommend this set up.


 

 Thanks for the comments.


----------



## notsimar

lekoross said:


> Received my Valhalla 2 after auditioning the Vali, Magni 2 uber, and Valhalla 1. It sounds fantastic with my Modi 2 uber and HD 600's - noticeably warmer than the others. Some of the treble etch I experienced with some subpar recordings on the other amps is gone. Upgrading to Senn 650's and looking forward to doing a little tube rolling. I am very, very pleased, but like many others wish that Schiit would do something about those ridiculous little rubber feet that cheapen such a well-made and classy product. I would happily pay a few dollars more for some screw in feet. Other than that I would highly recommend this set up.


 
 I agree, the only thing I wish the V2 had was screw-in feet.  Sonically, its pairing with my Beyer T1 has been fantastic for everything I have listened to.


----------



## freedom01

Just received mine. Yesterday in fact.
 I am so excited man. Never been so excited before (the last time was when i bought the HD800 last December).
  
 The pairing with HD800 has been awesome. Coming from iFi micro iDSD user, the V2 just makes me want to listen to it more. No more metallic sounding(something about SS amp).
  
 Treble is silky smooth. You won't feel fatigue after long period.
 Midrange is so liquid that it just flows into your ear naturally.
 Lower range is tight with plenty of impact and impressive amount of extension.
 Soundstage complements the HD800 very well.
  
 Bifrost Uber/USB + V2 + HD800 = Silky smooth, liquid and tight low ends
  
 Some may find the combination slightly warm but they are very very neutral to me. So damn happy on this setup. My end game setup. Not going to waste any more money on it from now. Well, perhaps when it is time to replace the tubes.


----------



## Rem0o

^ Nice setup you got there. Enjoy!


----------



## Puma Cat

Mine arrives tomorrow! Looking forward to listening to it tomorrow evening, but then I have to fly to the UK on Saturday for work next week.


----------



## spiral2012

matttcg said:


> There is very good synergy between the 600 and Val 2. I just got a crack on loan and I plan to do some testing. But I love how the pairing sound with the 600/Val 2 right now. The resolution and tone are just top notch. This is all with stock tubes.
> 
> I just learned that I can roll tubes from lyr to the Val 2 on the driver side. This will open up some options for me this week to experiment with. Short answer, this is a very enjoyable combo for me.


 
 Any update on the Crack vs V2?
  
 Just got my V2 yesterday.  I'm coming from the Topping VX1.  Pairing it with HD650s and Magni.  I'm so far unsure the 650s have improved dramatically.  It's definitely more resolving and the highs have definitely improved, but I feel like the bass is less impactful.   Does this improve with burn-in?  It's weird, but the 650s seem to be brighter with the V2.  What in your opinions is the appeal of a tube amp that sounds solid state, vs a solid state amp?


----------



## Puma Cat

spiral2012 said:


> Any update on the Crack vs V2?
> 
> Just got my V2 yesterday.  I'm coming from the Topping VX1.  Pairing it with HD650s and Magni.  I'm so far unsure the 650s have improved dramatically.  It's definitely more resolving and the highs have definitely improved, but I feel like the bass is less impactful.   Does this improve with burn-in?  It's weird, but the 650s seem to be brighter with the V2.  What in your opinions is the appeal of a tube amp that sounds solid state, vs a solid state amp?


 

 You need to give the tubes a minimum of 50 hours to burn in before making any assessments. After that point, you can fairly heavily influence the sound of the amp by doing some judicious tube rolling. If you want a warmer sound, think about rolling some Mullards into the amp.


----------



## spiral2012

puma cat said:


> ...you can fairly heavily influence the sound of the amp by doing some judicious tube rolling.


 
  
 I thought the general consensus was tube rolling had little effect on the V2 sound signature?


----------



## Puma Cat

spiral2012 said:


> I thought the general consensus was tube rolling had little effect on the V2 sound signature?


 

 That's not concordant with what others have described from what I've read just in this thread (side note: see other posts in this thread, several descriptions there).
  
 Tube rolling certainly has had a major impact on every other tube-based component, and my loudspeaker-based system is all tube (C-J), so I would fully expect one could tailer the sound with various "flavors" of 6dJ8, 6922s, etc, etc. It's a triode-based amp, after all. 
  
 I'm listening to my Valhalla right now with the stock tubes with Modi 2 Uber driving. The DAC is connected to the computer with an Audioquest Coffee USB cable, and the stock power cord. 
  
 I will listen to it this way a bit, and then connect a Shunyata Venom3 power cord. That will likely provide a big improvement. 
  
 If I have time I will roll in some Amperex and Ediswan 6922s which are fully burned in. 
  
 So, far it sounds really nice. But, the burn-in journey is just beginning. I'm not going to start making decisions or conclusions on how it actually sounds until Val 2 has at least 50 hours on it, and more likely 100 hrs. Then I will do some controlled experiments with formal tube-rolling experiments. 
  
 At least it won't take 1000 hours to burn in like my C-J CT-5 preamp with it's Teflon caps.


----------



## Puma Cat

spiral2012 said:


> Any update on the Crack vs V2?
> 
> Just got my V2 yesterday.  I'm coming from the Topping VX1.  Pairing it with HD650s and Magni.  I'm so far unsure the 650s have improved dramatically.  It's definitely more resolving and the highs have definitely improved, but I feel like the bass is less impactful.   Does this improve with burn-in?  It's weird, but the 650s seem to be brighter with the V2.  What in your opinions is the appeal of a tube amp that sounds solid state, vs a solid state amp?


 

 Oh, BTW, if you want to improve the  bass, put a Shunyata Venom3 on your Val 2. Minimally a Venom3 Source, ideally the regular Venom3. 
  
 Oh, and the noise floor will go down, too.


----------



## Puma Cat

freedom01 said:


> Just received mine. Yesterday in fact.
> I am so excited man. Never been so excited before (the last time was when i bought the HD800 last December).
> 
> The pairing with HD800 has been awesome. Coming from iFi micro iDSD user, the V2 just makes me want to listen to it more. No more metallic sounding(something about SS amp).
> ...


 
  
  
 I agree with you that this is a very nice headphone amplifier. It's very quiet and natural-sounding, and the midrange is really superb . I'm presently hearing an occasional hint of hardness on the highest parts of the treble, but I attribute that to the fact that my Val 2 has about 1 hour of use on it, and that is _very_ common with brand-new tubes. 
  
 It's very low noise floor is really nice, you can really hear deeply into the music and soundstage or recording ambience. Overall, with just a little of time on it, I really like this amp a lot.


----------



## lugnut

spiral2012 said:


> Any update on the Crack vs V2?
> 
> Just got my V2 yesterday.  I'm coming from the Topping VX1.  Pairing it with HD650s and Magni.  I'm so far unsure the 650s have improved dramatically.  It's definitely more resolving and the highs have definitely improved, but I feel like the bass is less impactful.   Does this improve with burn-in?  It's weird, but the 650s seem to be brighter with the V2.  What in your opinions is the appeal of a tube amp that sounds solid state, vs a solid state amp?


 
 The most common myth I see on all forums is that all/most tube amps are warm/thick sounding. Some of the best sound I have heard from quality tube amps have been very detailed, without any grain or being etchy. The better tube amps also give a better dimensional sound stage, more life like. I have also found that the better solid state amps sound more like good tube amps, however that does not always come cheap. A person just has to listen and choose what he likes best. Some folks like the sound of boom and sizzle and some like a more natural and neutral. To my ears the Valhalla has always been more pleasing than the Lyr, putting the power difference a side.


----------



## Puma Cat

lugnut said:


> The most common myth I see on all forums is that all/most tube amps are warm/thick sounding. Some of the best sound I have heard from quality tube amps have been very detailed, without any grain or being etchy. The better tube amps also give a better dimensional sound stage, more life like. I have also found that the better solid state amps sound more like good tube amps, however that does not always come cheap. A person just has to listen and choose what he likes best. Some folks like the sound of boom and sizzle and some like a more natural and neutral. To my ears the Valhalla has always been more pleasing than the Lyr, putting the power difference a side.


 

 Absolutely agree. This might have been the case back in the 80s, but modern tube gear is just as you describe. This is exactly why I own a Conrad-Johnson tube preamp and power amp for my loudspeaker-based system. The Audio Research Ref75 is another beautiful-sounding tube speaker amp.


----------



## spiral2012

puma cat said:


> Oh, BTW, if you want to improve the  bass, put a Shunyata Venom3 on your Val 2. Minimally a Venom3 Source, ideally the regular Venom3.
> 
> Oh, and the noise floor will go down, too.




Very interesting. I'm very new to this... How can a power cable affect SQ?


----------



## Savant

spiral2012 said:


> Any update on the Crack vs V2?
> 
> Just got my V2 yesterday.  I'm coming from the Topping VX1.  Pairing it with HD650s and Magni.  I'm so far unsure the 650s have improved dramatically.  It's definitely more resolving and the highs have definitely improved, but I feel like the bass is less impactful.   Does this improve with burn-in?  It's weird, but the 650s seem to be brighter with the V2.  What in your opinions is the appeal of a tube amp that sounds solid state, vs a solid state amp?




Are you actually saying that the Valhalla 2 sounds like a Solid State amp? What do you consider a typical Tube amp sound or expect a typical Tube amp to sound like?


----------



## Savant

spiral2012 said:


> Very interesting. I'm very new to this... How can a power cable affect SQ?




That's indeed a very good question! It doesn't make much sense to me but...?


----------



## spiral2012

savant said:


> Are you actually saying that the Valhalla 2 sounds like a Solid State amp? What do you consider a typical Tube amp sound or expect a typical Tube amp to sound like?




This is my first tube amp. Honestly thought it would be a little warmer. Only have 10 hours on the amp though, hoping it warms up a bit.


----------



## Puma Cat

spiral2012 said:


> Very interesting. I'm very new to this... How can a power cable affect SQ?


 

 By preventing the EMI and RFI that is all around one's components from entering the power cord, or by preventing the escape of EMI from cords pulling current when operating components. Essentially, lowering the noise floor of your system. Some power cords work better than others; Shunyata's happen to work particularly well. 
  
 They also improve SQ by improving dynamic current delivery during transients. Check out Shunyata's web site for more information, informative videos and data.


----------



## FieldEffect

I was considering the Valhalla 2 for my HD650, since I read some reviews that said the cheaper Vali isn't the best match. Has anyone used the HD650 with the Valhalla 2, and how did it pair up?
  
 Also, why did they put a 1/8 headphone jack on it? 1/4 would seem to make more sense.


----------



## lekoross

Yes, that is my setup along with the Modi 2 Uber. You will love it! Just give it all some time to break in. 1/8 inch is for iPhones and computers. Also, some DACs like the Audioquest Dragonfly use 1/8 inch.


----------



## FieldEffect

lekoross said:


> Yes, that is my setup along with the Modi 2 Uber. You will love it! Just give it all some time to break in. 1/8 inch is for iPhones and computers. Also, some DACs like the Audioquest Deagonfly use 1/8 inch.


 
  
 Thanks, it seems like a leading option.
  
 Still, the 1/8 jack doesn't make much sense. It's much better to have a 1/4 jack and an adapter than the other way around.


----------



## spiral2012

fieldeffect said:


> Thanks, it seems like a leading option.
> 
> Still, the 1/8 jack doesn't make much sense. It's much better to have a 1/4 jack and an adapter than the other way around.


 
  
 The Valhalla's jack is a 1/4" not 1/8".


----------



## FieldEffect

spiral2012 said:


> The Valhalla's jack is a 1/4" not 1/8".


 

 Oh. It sure looks like a 1/8" from the picture, and the manual doesn't specify.
  
 Well, that's good then.


----------



## lekoross

Ha! I thought you meant the 650's.


----------



## hennezzy

i have the valhalla 1 worth upgrading? what are the differences?


----------



## notsimar

hennezzy said:


> i have the valhalla 1 worth upgrading? what are the differences?


 
 Do you need preamp outs or high/lo gain switch? do you need to run low impedance cans from this amp? if not, and you are happy with your original, it wont make much of a difference.


----------



## hennezzy

notsimar said:


> Do you need preamp outs or high/lo gain switch? do you need to run low impedance cans from this amp? if not, and you are happy with your original, it wont make much of a difference.


 

 I have a beyer t1 but getting a shure srh1540 soon as a closed headphone, i think that is low impedence can


----------



## spiral2012

Bump...
  
 Would really like more feedback on Crack vs Val2.  Also on whether this thing warms up after some break in.  I'm about 30 hours in and the highs are a little harsh to my ears.  I'm considering returning to Schiit and getting the Crack+speedball, unless anyone can convince me otherwise.


----------



## Billheiser

spiral2012 said:


> Any update on the Crack vs V2?
> 
> Just got my V2 yesterday.  I'm coming from the Topping VX1.  Pairing it with HD650s and Magni.  I'm so far unsure the 650s have improved dramatically.  It's definitely more resolving and the highs have definitely improved, but I feel like the bass is less impactful.   Does this improve with burn-in?  It's weird, but the 650s seem to be brighter with the V2.  What in your opinions is the appeal of a tube amp that sounds solid state, vs a solid state amp?


 

 how do you mean you are pairing it with the Magni?  That would be double-amping...


----------



## spiral2012

billheiser said:


> how do you mean you are pairing it with the Magni?  That would be double-amping...




Whoops, meant Modi...


----------



## Melange

billheiser said:


> how do you mean you are pairing it with the Magni?  That would be double-amping...


 
 I would imagine he means that he's pairing it with the Modi. It's a typo I myself have made before.
  
 I too am also interested in what he's asking. My current setup is HD650s with a Modi and Vali. The Vali is good for its price, but I feel it's not driving the HD650s to their full potential. I'm considering upgrading to a Valhalla 2, but am rather concerned that the V2 would produce a rather lean, bright and bass-shy sound compared to an alternative such as the Bottlehead Crack.


----------



## Billheiser

OK.  Then I don't know why you are not being satisfied with that combo of dac, amp, & headphones.  It's a great combo and a popular one among the cognoscenti here.  I'm not familiar with the Topping amp that you mentioned, but I would think the V2 superior anyway.  Not harsh at all, in my experience.  And burn-in is not a big deal, my V2 sounded super from the first minute I used it.  I'm buffaloed.  If the V2 isn't good for you I doubt the Crack would be a terribly different experience.


----------



## Billheiser

melange said:


> .. I too am also interested in what he's asking. My current setup is HD650s with a Modi and Vali. The Vali is good for its price, but I feel it's not driving the HD650s to their full potential. I'm considering upgrading to a Valhalla 2, but am rather concerned that the V2 would produce a rather lean, bright and bass-shy sound compared to an alternative such as the Bottlehead Crack.


 
 V2:  NOT NOT NOT lean, bright, bass-shy.  IS IS IS full, rich, full-spectrum, clear, strong, dimensional.  In my opinion, but also per reviews and per its measurements and specifications.


----------



## Melange

billheiser said:


> V2:  NOT NOT NOT lean, bright, bass-shy.  IS IS IS full, rich, full-spectrum, clear, strong, dimensional.  In my opinion, but also per reviews and per its measurements and specifications.


 
 Thanks. Encouraging to see such a vote of confidence in the amp.


----------



## lekoross

+1 to Billheiser's comment.


----------



## lekoross

I would love to do an A/B comparison with the V2 and Lyr 2. Anyone do one?


----------



## spiral2012

billheiser said:


> OK.  Then I don't know why you are not being satisfied with that combo of dac, amp, & headphones.  It's a great combo and a popular one among the cognoscenti here.  I'm not familiar with the Topping amp that you mentioned, but I would think the V2 superior anyway.  Not harsh at all, in my experience.  And burn-in is not a big deal, my V2 sounded super from the first minute I used it.  I'm buffaloed.  If the V2 isn't good for you I doubt the Crack would be a terribly different experience.




Hmmm... Think there's a weak link somewhere? Modi or cables? I plugged the modi into the VX1 and it also sounded thin compared to the VX1s built in dac.


----------



## Billheiser

spiral2012 said:


> Hmmm... Think there's a weak link somewhere? Modi or cables? I plugged the modi into the VX1 and it also sounded thin compared to the VX1s built in dac.


 

 Hmm.  Do you have a store or a friend or a meet-up where you can hear a "reference" setup, to compare?


----------



## spiral2012

billheiser said:


> Hmm.  Do you have a store or a friend or a meet-up where you can hear a "reference" setup, to compare?




Think there may be some stores... 

Just listened to the 650s directly from the computers headphone jack and it also sounds fuller. Although I'm wondering if I'm not mistaking bloated sub bass for fullness. Maybe I'm just expecting too much?


----------



## HPiper

lekoross said:


> I would love to do an A/B comparison with the V2 and Lyr 2. Anyone do one?


 

 Not a real in depth comparison of those two, I did own both the V1 and Lyr 1 and in general I liked the Lyr better. Lower noise floor and more dynamic but not by much in either case, I liked both amps and would have been just as happy with the Valhalla as the Lyr. I ended up keeping the Lyr.


----------



## Olchon

spiral2012 said:


> Think there may be some stores...
> 
> Just listened to the 650s directly from the computers headphone jack and it also sounds fuller. Although I'm wondering if I'm not mistaking bloated sub bass for fullness. Maybe I'm just expecting too much?




I too have the Val 2 and HD650 combination. I use an iBasso dx90 as source/dac and before getting the Val 2 had previously been listening from headphone out to the senns. I wanted a bit more control and liquidity and opted for the Val 2. I too was initially a bit underwhelmed. The Val 2 didn't seem to add much unless I wanted to listen at very loud volumes, and I lost a bit of detail. 
My main gripe though was with the bass. It wasn't that it was lacking, just really lost in the mix, kind of muddy with no edges. Mids and treble were perfect for me, not overly bright but certainly not veiled like the bass. Vocals were stunning, and I found myself listening to more and more vocal and acoustic based music rather than a lot of the low key electronic music that I like (Air, Boards of Canada etc).
So I thought I'd try some different tubes. Some vokshod 6n23ns helped a bit. I could make out those bass lines now!
And then last week a client of mine, who turned out to be a valve aficionado, gave me a pair of Mullard gold pin e88cc, I guess from the 70s. 
Wow! I am listening now as I write this. They've not even had 10 hours on them yet, but the sound is back to full detail, warm, smooth, mercurial, with great bass depth and separation. The whole sound is just so cohesive and lovely. 
I will do some comparisons with the stock tubes and just the iBasso again, just to check it's not just the amp and my ears getting used to each other. But I would say stick with it, try some different tubes and give it some more time. You sound like you like the sort of sound I think the Val 2 and HD650s can give you...


----------



## spiral2012

olchon said:


> I too have the Val 2 and HD650 combination. I use an iBasso dx90 as source/dac and before getting the Val 2 had previously been listening from headphone out to the senns. I wanted a bit more control and liquidity and opted for the Val 2. I too was initially a bit underwhelmed. The Val 2 didn't seem to add much unless I wanted to listen at very loud volumes, and I lost a bit of detail.
> My main gripe though was with the bass. It wasn't that it was lacking, just really lost in the mix, kind of muddy with no edges. Mids and treble were perfect for me, not overly bright but certainly not veiled like the bass. Vocals were stunning, and I found myself listening to more and more vocal and acoustic based music rather than a lot of the low key electronic music that I like (Air, Boards of Canada etc).
> So I thought I'd try some different tubes. Some vokshod 6n23ns helped a bit. I could make out those bass lines now!
> And then last week a client of mine, who turned out to be a valve aficionado, gave me a pair of Mullard gold pin e88cc, I guess from the 70s.
> ...




Nice post. This is definitely how I'm feeling about the val2. I love the detail and separation it adds, just lacking some bottom end. Looking forward to your comparison. Know a good place to buy the Mullards? Are these for power or driver?


----------



## Olchon

These are input valves ( the shorter ones). Don't really know a good recommendation to buy them from. I got very lucky! I did a search on eBay (to quantify how lucky I had been) and they do look rather expensive. Check out the Valhalla tube rolling thread for some more ideas.....


----------



## feilb

My V2 is incoming tomorrow! I accidentally bought some 71 Voskhod 6n23p's, Bugle Boys, and a pair of Siemens ECC85's... I guess I'll post on results someday.


----------



## JohnBal

feilb said:


> My V2 is incoming tomorrow! I accidentally bought some 71 Voskhod 6n23p's, Bugle Boys, and a pair of Siemens ECC85's... I guess I'll post on results someday.


 
 Can you use ECC85's in the V2? I thought they were different tubes?


----------



## feilb

> The standard 6N1P input tubes can be subbed out for any 6DJ8/6922/ECC88/ECC85/6BZ7 types, including NOS, cryo-treated, voodoo-blessed, hand-assembled by elves, etc.


 
  
 They're listed as rollable on the site. Some people have reported good results w/ ECC85 tubes over in the Lyr thread.


----------



## JohnBal

Cool!! I didn't know that. Congrats!


----------



## spiral2012

billheiser said:


> ...And burn-in is not a big deal, my V2 sounded super from the first minute I used it...


 
  
 So I left the amp running all night, put maybe another 12 hours on it, and I'll be damned if it doesn't sound a bit fuller and less sibilant.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





   I even A-B'd with the Topping am finding less difference in the bottom end.  V2 definitely takes the cake for detail, soundstage, and clarity.  The bass is definitely more controlled on the V2 as well.


----------



## sandab

The Cryoset 6N6P (Russian "6H6") I've been using the last 6 months started going bad - cracks and pops so put the stock output tubes back in.  They're quite a bit lower volume, I'd guess maybe 6-8dB.  Also much less texture and dynamics; I remember them being very similar, but now that I switched back the difference is quite obvious.  Ordered another set of the Cryoset 6H6 matched output tubes - at $29 plus postage ($9) it's a no-brainer IMO.
  
 Really glad it wasn't the Telefunken E88CC input tubes...


----------



## feilb

Where at?


----------



## sandab

The Cryoset 6H6 tubes?
  
 http://www.cryoset.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=21_76&products_id=296&osCsid=316a6b329a722c4ed75c53d49eecc831
  
 Sorry if you were asking something else...
  
 BTW, only one tube was going bad, but at the price I figured I'd replace them as a matched set...


----------



## feilb

I think you bought the last set they had!
  
 I've got a lot of rolling ahead. Just starting to listen to my V2 and I've got a handful of tubes inbound.
  
 Edit: scratch that, they're still there.


----------



## Puma Cat

So, I finally rolled some of my vintage Amperex 6922s (Orange PQ label) from my C-J Premier 17LS preamp into my Schiit Valhalla 2 today.

 All I can say is "Whoa"! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 The amp sounded great with the stock JJs, but the Amperex 6922s take it to another level. I listened to a variety of music ranging from classical, medieval, jazz, rock with the Amperexes, and the improvement was across the board, both from the sound spectrum to the content. Most notably is that the music is much more fleshed-out, palpable, dimensional, and, for the lack of a better word, "tangible". The other *major *improvement is in the bass; I'm listening to HD600s and I've heard folks say that the HD600 is a bit bass-shy in the sub-bass. Well, not with this tube. The Amperex 6922 provides a full, solid, bass definition, articulation and power that is simply _fabulous_. Some of the content I was listening to was from the Atrium Musicae's classical music recording of "The Tarantula", a collection of medieval tarantellas. Many of the tracks have large drum instruments whose bass response goes quite low, and the 7308s reproduced this bass signature with power, definition, and beautiful articulation.  Also, organ bass is deeply rendered, and beautifully textured (Spiral2012, any issues you might have with bass on your Val 2 would be resolved using this tube; it packs quite a punch in the bass).

 Those that have had some issues with the HD600s being a little too hot on the treble would love this tube; the 6922s are ever so slightly relaxed on top, which combined with the HD600s makes for almost perfect treble articulation and detail. By comparison to the 6922s, the stock JJs have a very slightly hard and glassy top end; the 6922s take this range and add detail but also sweetness and smoothness. It reminds me of going from a Dynaudio Esotec tweeter (which is no slouch) to a Dynaudio Esotar 2 tweeter (which is world-class); the top end is more detailed yet smooter and sweeter at the same time. 

 And lastly, the mids. I've commented how the tube adds dimensionality and palpability to the presentation, but the entire midrange is more beautifully rendered; there's more natural and accurate timbral color, texture, and tonality, and a smoothness, liquidity and musical sweetness and beauty that reminds me of Harbeth 30.1 loudspeakers, which probably have the most beautiful midrange of any transducer I've ever heard. Gorgeous, absolutely gorgeous.

 Those of you with Val 2s should really consider rolling these into your amp, especially if you're using Senn HD600s; they are absolutely wonderful. 

 Available at Upscale Audio; they're pricey, but they take this head amp to _entirely to another level._ Just search for Amperex 6922. If you're interested, read the reviews.


----------



## Puma Cat

spiral2012 said:


> So I left the amp running all night, put maybe another 12 hours on it, and I'll be damned if it doesn't sound a bit fuller and less sibilant.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Glad to hear; tubes do take about 50-60 hours to burn in, and they will continue to improve after that. See my comments above Amperex 7308s if you want a revelatory experience with your Valhalla 2.


----------



## Randyflycaster

I've asked this question on other forums and didn't get many replies, so I'll try again here.
 I have a pair of HD 650s. Right now I'm running them through my Harmon Kardon 3380. I think I spent about 300 bucks for the receiver ten years ago. It does have enough power to drive my headphones. If I were to buy a Valhalla 2 amp and connect it directly to my phono preamp - I'd be bypassing the HK 3380 - would I get better sound?
 Some suggested I audition the Valhalla, but buying one and then sending it back would be a hassle.
 Thanks,
 Randy


----------



## Mr Rick

randyflycaster said:


> I've asked this question on other forums and didn't get many replies, so I'll try again here.
> I have a pair of HD 650s. Right now I'm running them through my Harmon Kardon 3380. I think I spent about 300 bucks for the receiver ten years ago. It does have enough power to drive my headphones. If I were to buy a Valhalla 2 amp and connect it directly to my phono preamp - I'd be bypassing the HK 3380 - would I get better sound?
> Some suggested I audition the Valhalla, but buying one and then sending it back would be a hassle.
> Thanks,
> Randy


 
 I read the specifications on your HK 3380. Unfortunately they do not give any specifications on the headphone amplifier section. The Valhalla 2 will give you 800mW into your HD 650s. Which may or may not be an improvement over your HK. However, as the Valhalla 2 is a purpose built headphone amplifier  I would be willing to bet you would hear an improvement.
  
 You mention your phono preamp. By that, do you mean the preamp outputs of your HK? You could certainly drive your Valhalla 2 that way, and it would give you the advantage of the tone controls of your HK.
  
 Any other questions? Just ask.


----------



## Randyflycaster

Mr. Rick,
  
 Thanks for your reply. I have a Graham Slee turntable pre-amp that is separate from my HK 3380,
  
 I use my headphones to listen to vinyl records.
  
 Randy


----------



## Mr Rick

randyflycaster said:


> Mr. Rick,
> 
> Thanks for your reply. I have a Graham Slee turntable pre-amp that is separate from my HK 3380,
> 
> ...


 
 Did you pay more for your GS then for your HK? LOL
  
 Those are a very nice high end phono preamplifiers. In that case, I do think the Valhalla 2 would be a good match to your GS phono preamp.  Further, it will allow you to experience the "tube sound" that the Valhalla provides.
  
 I'm currently listening to Mozart, Symphony #41 in C, and it sounds truly glorious into my HD 650s.


----------



## Randyflycaster

I think I also paid three hundred bucks for my solid state Graham Slee Special Edition 2.
  
 Randy


----------



## Mr Rick

randyflycaster said:


> I think I also paid three hundred bucks for my solid state Graham Slee Special Edition 2.
> 
> Randy


 
 And the kind of music you listen to??


----------



## Puma Cat

randyflycaster said:


> I've asked this question on other forums and didn't get many replies, so I'll try again here.
> I have a pair of HD 650s. Right now I'm running them through my Harmon Kardon 3380. I think I spent about 300 bucks for the receiver ten years ago. It does have enough power to drive my headphones.* If I were to buy a Valhalla 2 amp and connect it directly to my phono preamp - I'd be bypassing the HK 3380 - would I get better sound?*
> Some suggested I audition the Valhalla, but buying one and then sending it back would be a hassle.
> Thanks,
> Randy


 
 Yes. The amplifier section of the Valhalla is better.


----------



## Mr Rick

puma cat said:


> Yes. The amplifier section of the Valhalla is better.


 
 Actually, the speaker amplifier section of his HK is excellent. The headphone amplifier section on his HK is an unknown quantity.


----------



## Puma Cat

Yes, thanks for the clarification; I was referring to the headphone amplifier section of his receiver.


----------



## Randyflycaster

I mostly listen to classic rock and opera.
 Randy


----------



## Mr Rick

randyflycaster said:


> I mostly listen to classic rock and opera.
> Randy


 
 My Valhalla 2 has caused me to revisit my Moody Blues and Led Zepp collections.


----------



## feilb

I just scored a matched pair of Telefunken E88CCs on eBay for $150! My poor wallet!


----------



## grrorr76

feilb said:


> I just scored a matched pair of Telefunken E88CCs on eBay for $150! My poor wallet!


 

 Thast is a really cheap buy they normally g for 300+


----------



## feilb

grrorr76 said:


> Thast is a really cheap buy they normally g for 300+


 
 I know! I wasn't planning on buying them. I've got 3 other sets of input tubes and a set of output tubes inbound, but I stumbled across the auction this morning. Seems to have flown under the radar with no bids. I sniped it at the end!


----------



## kirayamato

hi i have the HD800 and am getting the vanhalla 2 I want the best tubes i can get for them any advice?
  
 also am new to tube amps any place i can find a tips guide like how to use it like do i have to burn it in etc


----------



## Mr Rick

kirayamato said:


> hi i have the HD800 and am getting the vanhalla 2 I want the best tubes i can get for them any advice?
> 
> also am new to tube amps any place i can find a tips guide like how to use it like do i have to burn it in etc


 
 There is a thread specifically for Valhalla tube rollers. I would start there.


----------



## lekoross

Also chek out the much more extensive Lyr tubetrolling thread, particularly the posts by rb2013.


----------



## feilb

Check out the Valhalla tube rolling thread as well as the Lyr tube rolling thread. Both the Lyr and Valhalla use the same input tubes.
  
 Generally, there are a number of recommendations people seem to repeat, but there are many options.
  
 - 6N23P tubes, especially those from Voskhod made in the 70s or Reflektor in '74/'75
 - Amperex Bugle Boys (esp late 50s/60s)
 - Amperex PQ (esp white label) 
 - Telefunken E88CCs ($$$)
 - Siemens CCa ($$$$)
  
 The "best" tubes are subjective, just as everything else in audio. 
  
 I'll post some results w/ my 800s in the coming weeks with a handful of tubes over in the valhalla tube rolling thread.


----------



## Puma Cat

feilb said:


> I just scored a matched pair of Telefunken E88CCs on eBay for $150! My poor wallet!


 

 Congrats. Really be interested in hearing what you think about them.


----------



## Puma Cat

feilb said:


> Check out the Valhalla tube rolling thread as well as the Lyr tube rolling thread. Both the Lyr and Valhalla use the same input tubes.
> 
> Generally, there are a number of recommendations people seem to repeat, but there are many options.
> 
> ...


 

 All excellent recommendations. Just a note: if you go to Upscale Audio and search for Amperex 6922s (sometimes labeled PQ), Kevin Deal says there is virtually no difference in the performance of that specific tube based on label color; he says they are all the same exact tube. He does mention that if you one still specifically really wants a specific label color, they will do their best to accommodate you.


----------



## Araki

Hello,
  
 Someone has tested the output to a power amp ? I will be interested by this feedback
  
 When I test the output, my arcam ( a90 power mode and p90 ) go to protection mode after few minutes ...
  
 Otherwise Valhalla 2 is a  great amp, combined with modi 2, the sound is incredible ( e188cc telefunken upgrade )


----------



## feilb

Are they getting hotter than you otherwise would expect?


----------



## Mr Rick

araki said:


> Hello,
> 
> Someone has tested the output to a power amp ? I will be interested by this feedback
> 
> ...


 
 I'm running my Valhalla 2 into the AUX inputs of my SAE A7 Integrated Amp with no problems.


----------



## Billheiser

araki said:


> Hello,
> 
> Someone has tested the output to a power amp ? I will be interested by this feedback
> 
> ...


 

 Switch the Valhalla 2 to low gain.  It must be overdriving your amp in high gain mode.


----------



## kirayamato

feilb said:


> Check out the Valhalla tube rolling thread as well as the Lyr tube rolling thread. Both the Lyr and Valhalla use the same input tubes.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



 


can someone help with these questions 
1)i heard tube amps need burn ins how much do i need to burn this one in and also how long can i keep it on are we suppose to turn it off? thanks

2)I have the Creative ZXR right now and a magni amp what i do is just connect the headphone to the magni then to the creative but i believe its double amping because if i switch the creative zxr to 600 amp mode the sound increases is there anyway to make it i dont use the amplification from the creative zxr but just the features a dac per say?


----------



## feilb

1) Tubes do change in character for the first 50 or so hours they are on. Some say more. Just leave the amp on. Some people say "pay pink noise" or some other crap. Fact is, the tubes are biased in class A which means they constantly have current running through them, regardless of signal.
  
 2) A better way to do this would be to use the line level outputs on the zxr (which are the white and red RCA jacks). You are most definitely double amping if you are using the headphone jack. You should get more appropriate and less distorted sound if you follow my suggestion.


----------



## Billheiser

After your initial burn-in period,don't make a habit of leaving the Valhalla 2 on. Tubes have a finite life, so when you're not listening, then turn off the amp to preserve tube life (and not waste energy).


----------



## Araki

mr rick said:


> I'm running my Valhalla 2 into the AUX inputs of my SAE A7 Integrated Amp with no problems.


 
 It's working perfectly with the AUX imput of A90, thanks


----------



## Mr Rick

araki said:


> It's working perfectly with the AUX imput of A90, thanks


 
  Glad I could help.


----------



## Rem0o

Just swapped my stock tubes in my Valhalla V1 since I figured I didn't swapped them for a while. I installed some Voskhod 6n1p and Novosibirsk 6n6p. First impression:
  
 "DAMN!"

 Way tighter and present bass, smoother, less artificial treble. Whole different beast with those in. I don't get why it makes such a difference.


----------



## kirayamato

feilb said:


> 1) Tubes do change in character for the first 50 or so hours they are on. Some say more. Just leave the amp on. Some people say "pay pink noise" or some other crap. Fact is, the tubes are biased in class A which means they constantly have current running through them, regardless of signal.
> 
> 2) A better way to do this would be to use the line level outputs on the zxr (which are the white and red RCA jacks). You are most definitely double amping if you are using the headphone jack. You should get more appropriate and less distorted sound if you follow my suggestion.


 
 can u recommend me any good cable for that then?


----------



## feilb

Tell me again, how are you connecting the 2 RCA jacks on the Magni to the ZXR?


----------



## kirayamato

well changing to the valhalla so would rather have updates on that bought a rca to the normal headphone cable to plug into the headphone jack its the smaller one that is like on earphones and then use a convertor to make it fit in the headphone jack XD


----------



## feilb

Regardless. The way you should be connecting your amp to your sound card is using the RCA jacks on both. RCAs are line out, which is what you want. Buy some $3 monoprice RCA cables on amazon and your problem will be fixed.


----------



## lekoross

Does anyone know the output wattage of the V2? I am thinking about getting some bookshelf speakers and don't know if the V2 can power them properly. Is anyone currently using the V2 to power bookshelf speakers?


----------



## Mr Rick

lekoross said:


> Does anyone know the output wattage of the V2? I am thinking about getting some bookshelf speakers and don't know if the V2 can power them properly. Is anyone currently using the V2 to power bookshelf speakers?


 
  The Valhalla 2 is not designed to power speakers. I would contact Schiit before attempting to do so.


----------



## Savant

lekoross said:


> Does anyone know the output wattage of the V2? I am thinking about getting some bookshelf speakers and don't know if the V2 can power them properly. Is anyone currently using the V2 to power bookshelf speakers?




You obviously mean its voltage output? The Valhalla can work as Preamp, not as Power amp. Unless of course you are talking about Powered Monitors?


----------



## kirayamato

double post sorry look at bottom post


----------



## kirayamato

feilb said:


> Regardless. The way you should be connecting your amp to your sound card is using the RCA jacks on both. RCAs are line out, which is what you want. Buy some $3 monoprice RCA cables on amazon and your problem will be fixed.



 


oh ok how long should i burn them in to expect the normal sound and i should leave them on right?


----------



## Billheiser

kirayamato said:


> feilb said:
> 
> 
> > Regardless. The way you should be connecting your amp to your sound card is using the RCA jacks on both. RCAs are line out, which is what you want. Buy some $3 monoprice RCA cables on amazon and your problem will be fixed.
> ...


 

 30 seconds until it un-mutes itself.  Then you will hear wonderful normal sound.
 "Burn-in" may not exist, so don't worry about that.  Some say that the sound will improve slightly, after about 50 hours of use.  So do that if you want to.  After that, turn off the amp when you are not listening, so as not to deplete the life of the tubes, and to conserve energy.


----------



## feilb

As billheiser said, the tubes will slight change over the first handful of hours. Their transconductance will drop then level out. Cables don't burn in.

You should feel great listening to it right out of the gate.


----------



## Melange

I received my Valhalla 2 this morning and have spent the last few hours listening to it. It's a clear improvement over the Vali in terms of soundstage, clarity and instrument separation, while exhibiting less mid-bass bloat. My HD650s now sound more dynamic and engaging.
  
 I'm generally quite pleased with it, but there's one thing that's puzzling me: it actually seems to be slightly quieter than the Vali at a given volume setting. For instance, there's one quietly recorded song that I would have normally listened to with the Vali's volume pot set at the 11 o'clock position. I have to push the Valhalla 2 to the 12 o'clock position to get a similar level of loudness  - and this is with the gain switch set to the high position. According to the specs posted on the Schiit website:
  
 Vali: Maximum Power, 300 ohms: 220mW RMS per channel
 Valhalla 2: Maximum Power, 300 ohms: 800mW RMS per channel
  
 One would infer from this that the Valhalla 2 should in fact be far louder than the Vali at a given volume setting. Does anyone know if there's a simple explanation for this, such as the tubes requiring burning-in? I hope I haven't been given a defective unit.


----------



## Mr Rick

melange said:


> I received my Valhalla 2 this morning and have spent the last few hours listening to it. It's a clear improvement over the Vali in terms of soundstage, clarity and instrument separation, while exhibiting less mid-bass bloat. My HD650s now sound more dynamic and engaging.
> 
> I'm generally quite pleased with it, but there's one thing that's puzzling me: it actually seems to be slightly quieter than the Vali at a given volume setting. For instance, there's one quietly recorded song that I would have normally listened to with the Vali's volume pot set at the 11 o'clock position. I have to push the Valhalla 2 to the 12 o'clock position to get a similar level of loudness  - and this is with the gain switch set to the high position. According to the specs posted on the Schiit website:
> 
> ...


 
 Different gain potentiometers have different tapers. This may be what you are experiencing. Nothing to worry about.


----------



## feilb

I noticed the same thing, though I also noticed that the Valhalla will go a bit louder than the Vali. There are very likely differences in the volume control pot, so i wouldnt get too worked up about it. One thing to say about power, in order to gain 3dB in sound power, you need to double the output power, so the Valhalla 2 is really only about 6dB louder than the Vali.


----------



## Melange

mr rick said:


> Different gain potentiometers have different tapers. This may be what you are experiencing. Nothing to worry about.







feilb said:


> I noticed the same thing, though I also noticed that the Valhalla will go a bit louder than the Vali. There are very likely differences in the volume control pot, so i wouldnt get too worked up about it. One thing to say about power, in order to gain 3dB in sound power, you need to double the output power, so the Valhalla 2 is really only about 6dB louder than the Vali.




Thanks for the replies; they've put my mind at ease.


----------



## kirayamato

hi got the valhalla 2 plugged it in to my hd 800 in low impedence mode and anything higher then around 9 gives me static noise plz help I didn't have it with my creative zxr or my magni and neither fioo e9 at way higher volumes


----------



## feilb

Id recommend the higher gain mode to start with the 800s. Second, does the static happen when no dac is connected?

Where did you get the amp? Does it have stock tubes?


----------



## kirayamato

bought it directly from schiit and yes stock tubes i am using my creative zxr as dac right now


----------



## Rem0o

kirayamato said:


> bought it directly from schiit and yes stock tubes i am using my creative zxr as dac right now


 
  
 Disconnect the DAC from the amp, plug your headphones in, turn the knob arround a bit. Still static? Are you using a cheat plug with no ground? Are you using a 1/4 inch adapter? Is the jack fully in? Should make a solid "CLUNK" when you plug in.


----------



## Mr Rick

kirayamato said:


> bought it directly from schiit and yes stock tubes i am using my creative zxr as dac right now


 
 As suggested above. Listen to your Valhalla with *NO *input. You should be able to turn up the volume control and hear *nothing.*
  
 Do that first and get back to us with your results.


----------



## kirayamato

yup checked its coming from my computer seems like valhalla is super sensitive the schiit guys recommend me get a External DAC any recommendations to go with the valhalla 2 and a hd800 ?


----------



## Mr Rick

kirayamato said:


> yup checked its coming from my computer seems like valhalla is super sensitive the schiit guys recommend me get a External DAC any recommendations to go with the valhalla 2 and a hd800 ?


 
 Bifrost Uber Analog with USB Gen 2 input.


----------



## kirayamato

and that vs the gungnir?


----------



## amnesiac75

Gungnir vs bifrost uber is $330 price difference 
Gungnir advantages - balanced outputs / 2 se outputs and overall sound a bit better than uberfrost even on se
Uberfrost advantages - takes up less space / easier to stack with valhalla 2 / $330 cheaper
Either way I found these dacs to be a noticeable improvement over entry level usb powered dacs.


----------



## Puma Cat

melange said:


> I received my Valhalla 2 this morning and have spent the last few hours listening to it. It's a clear improvement over the Vali in terms of soundstage, clarity and instrument separation, while exhibiting less mid-bass bloat. My HD650s now sound more dynamic and engaging.
> 
> 
> I'm generally quite pleased with it, but there's one thing that's puzzling me: it actually seems to be slightly quieter than the Vali at a given volume setting. For instance, there's one quietly recorded song that I would have normally listened to with the Vali's volume pot set at the 11 o'clock position. I have to push the Valhalla 2 to the 12 o'clock position to get a similar level of loudness  - and this is with the gain switch set to the high position. According to the specs posted on the Schiit website:
> ...



I'm using my Valhalla at about 11:30 to 12 o'clock to get a normal level listening volume as well with HD600s. Not at all concerned about it.


----------



## kirayamato

amnesiac75 said:


> Gungnir vs bifrost uber is $330 price difference
> Gungnir advantages - balanced outputs / 2 se outputs and overall sound a bit better than uberfrost even on se
> Uberfrost advantages - takes up less space / easier to stack with valhalla 2 / $330 cheaper
> Either way I found these dacs to be a noticeable improvement over entry level usb powered dacs.


 
 by se you mean unbalanced? and for the hd 800 how much does balanced matter?


----------



## amnesiac75

Yes by se I ment unbalanced I'm used to saying se/ balanced when talking about amps/headphone cables. I've owned the gungnir for about a year and have only used it with unbalanced amps so I can't really comment on how much better it is only that with the gungnir you will always have that option if you get a amp with balanced inputs and you'd also be able to connect up to 2 unbalanced amps at the same time. Using the valhalla 2 you will not use the balanced outputs And I think balanced comes more into play when talking about amps. Congrats on owning the hd800s btw I have almost bought those many times but the price always scares me away.


----------



## kirayamato

amnesiac75 said:


> Yes by se I ment unbalanced I'm used to saying se/ balanced when talking about amps/headphone cables. I've owned the gungnir for about a year and have only used it with unbalanced amps so I can't really comment on how much better it is only that with the gungnir you will always have that option if you get a amp with balanced inputs and you'd also be able to connect up to 2 unbalanced amps at the same time. Using the valhalla 2 you will not use the balanced outputs And I think balanced comes more into play when talking about amps. Congrats on owning the hd800s btw I have almost bought those many times but the price always scares me away.


 
 haha thanks i know about that but just wanted to know about balanced so i know that a upgrade would be incoming in a few months


----------



## Puma Cat

Well, I've had my Valhalla 2 a few weeks now, and after some rolling, have settled on my favorite input tubes (for the time being). Something that I notice is that Val2 sounds best after it has been on for about an hour. This is very consistent with other tube-based amplification devices I have experience with (e.g. my C-J tube gear for my loudspeaker based system).


----------



## JustinBieber

Has anyone tried the Fostex TH900 or similar cans on this amp? I'm thinking of getting one to compliment my HD800.
  
 They're pretty efficient and the output impedance is a little high on Valhalla 2 but it should be an OK match by just glancing at the tech specs.


----------



## BleaK

Got one coming for me and my HD800. Looking forward to hearing it.


----------



## freedom01

bleak said:


> Got one coming for me and my HD800. Looking forward to hearing it.


 
 You will love it bro.
  
 Do post your impressions too


----------



## BleaK

freedom01 said:


> You will love it bro.
> 
> Do post your impressions too


 

 Thanks, will do


----------



## Mr Rick

I just ordered a pair of Beyerdynamic DT 880 Premium 600 OHM Headphones especially to listen to classical music on my Valhalla 2. I'll report back with my findings towards the end of the week. 
  
 Anyone else use the DT 880 / 600s with the Valhalla ?


----------



## sampson_smith

I most certainly do. They sound fantastic, if a little sibilant, with the V2. This amp is also pretty nice with HD600's, now that I have rolled in some cheap Sylvania tubes. Highly recommended!


----------



## Rem0o

mr rick said:


> I just ordered a pair of Beyerdynamic DT 880 Premium 600 OHM Headphones especially to listen to classical music on my Valhalla 2. I'll report back with my findings towards the end of the week.
> 
> Anyone else use the DT 880 / 600s with the Valhalla ?


 
 I use them with the OG Valhalla.
  
 Superb.


----------



## mgavin

rem0o said:


> I use them with the OG Valhalla.
> 
> Superb.





I just ordered a pair of dt-880 premium 600ohms! I'm new to the forum but please can you guys suggest to me either the Valhalla 2 or the lyr 2!

I'm torn between both. I can only afford one, I'm looking for a huge tubey sound- one that will balance the high treble of the dt-880s. I've read that the Valhalla doesn't sound tubey and the lyr does- but the lyr is a hybrid. I'm so confused. I guess what's the best amp for my dt-880 600 ohms. Thanks guys. Sorry I'm new, but excited!


----------



## mgavin

A couple more questions:

how is the noise floor on the Valhalla 2? I've read that the lyr 2 is dead silent. Is this the same for the Valhalla 2?

Also if I just roll the tubes will that make the Valhalla 2 sound more tubey or will the amp always retain it's neutral or solid state characteristics? 
 If anyone else could compare the Valhalla 2 and lyr 2 for dt-880 premium 600ohms I would be most appreciative! I'm ready to make a purchase as soon as I make up my mind! Thanks in advance guys.


----------



## Liu Junyuan

I would suggest the Valhalla 2 over the Lyr 2 for high impedance headphones like the DT880/600 and Sennheiser HDxx. I do not own one, but I would think swapping tubes results in an altered soundscape. This is not to say the Lyr 2 would perform poorly; I own the Lyr and it drives all of my headphones very well, and it also changes when swapping tubes. However, you are going to get more voltage swing into your DT880/600 with the Valhalla 2 otl setup, which should result in a better sound.


----------



## kurczak323

mgavin said:


> A couple more questions:
> 
> how is the noise floor on the Valhalla 2? I've read that the lyr 2 is dead silent. Is this the same for the Valhalla 2?
> 
> ...



Valhalla 2 is also dead silent. As far as the tubes, im waiting for siemens e88cc that i bought from one of the head-fiers so I'll report back when i receive them.


----------



## mgavin

Do I need a basic 1/8" to Y rca cable or do I need a stereo Y rca cable for the valhalla2?


----------



## jrflanne

kirayamato said:


> yup checked its coming from my computer seems like valhalla is super sensitive the schiit guys recommend me get a External DAC any recommendations to go with the valhalla 2 and a hd800 ?




The Gungnir will make you very happy.


----------



## Billheiser

mgavin said:


> Do I need a basic 1/8" to Y rca cable or do I need a stereo Y rca cable for the valhalla2?


 

 from what?  Valhalla2 uses 2 RCA female jacks for stereo input, so you need that at the Valhalla2 end.  At the other end, use the stereo connection that fits your source.


----------



## Mr Rick

mgavin said:


> A couple more questions:
> 
> how is the noise floor on the Valhalla 2? I've read that the lyr 2 is dead silent. Is this the same for the Valhalla 2?
> 
> ...


 
 I got my DT880/600s this afternoon and listened to them on my Valhalla 2. They sounded glorious. I'm now listening to Mahler's 6th  using my Lyr and DT880/600s They still sound.........glorious.  No 'tubey" sound out of either amp. Just Mahler's mastery of music.


----------



## Baldr

I used to have a bumper sticker in the early 70's  -- "Mahler Grooves"


----------



## mgavin

Looks like my Valhalla 2 is back ordered.


----------



## Fegefeuer

Damn this thing is hard to get in Europe.


----------



## effles

fegefeuer said:


> Damn this thing is hard to get in Europe.


 
Have you tried the Uk's Schiit distributor? I think they ship to the rest of Europe.


----------



## Aitor

http://www.schiit-europe.com/


----------



## Fegefeuer

Yeah, Valhalla 2 delayed again by 3 weeks.


----------



## MoatsArt

Has anyone tried rolling 6N30P in the output position?  If so, what was your experience?


----------



## MoatsArt

Approached Schiit to determine if 6N30P can be used in place of 6N6P.  They responded very swiftly to the effect that they don't have much experience with tubes other than stock with Valhalla 2.
  
 They kindly volunteered the following information though:
  
 ***The output tube on V2 is biased by a CCS (constant current source) feeding approx 6mA to the 6N6P anode with a plate voltage of about 100V.***  (my rewording)
  
 I am guessing that the plate voltage of the output tube in this circuit is determined by the input tube (not sure - a little rusty). 
  
 Therefore, assuming that the anode current would remain 6mA on the 6N30P and the anode voltage 100V, perhaps someone with more knowledge than me could find a datasheet for this tube and determine whether or not it is operating at a suitably linear point. 
  
 My guess is that the circuit is optimised for 6N6P and, given that the curves are different, will not function as well with 6N30P in output position.
  
 Please set me straight if my thinking is wrong.  I was considering investing in some 6N30P-DR tubes (for use in the DNA Sonett 2 at a later stage), but I doubt that V2 would see any benefit in using this type of tube.


----------



## Jason Stoddard

moatsart said:


> Approached Schiit to determine if 6N30P can be used in place of 6N6P.  They responded very swiftly to the effect that they don't have much experience with tubes other than stock with Valhalla 2.
> 
> They kindly volunteered the following information though:
> 
> ...


 

 That's not the output tube bias. That's more like 35mA, in a WCF arrangement and 200V total supply with 100V on each tube.


----------



## MoatsArt

Thanks Jason for setting this straight.  I must have not made my questions to your technician clear enough.


----------



## mgavin

I'm actually surprised how the valhalla 2 is not that loud!? I can turn it all the way up 100% and not hurt my ears. And to be honest it's really not that much louder vs my iPhone 5 alone. Should I switch to the lyr? I'm using dt880s by the way.

I was just expecting a little more headroom... Anyone else?


----------



## mgavin

I found the high gain switch! Ha


----------



## kurczak323

I was about to say that my hd650 are almost painfully lound above 75-80% of the volume and i like it loud


----------



## mgavin

I turned my valhalla 2 on briefly today... (It's connected to my rack power conditioner) but then I turned off the power for the valhalla 2 AND the source of the power which is the power conditioner and the front light of the valhalla 2 is still illuminated.... Even 5 mins after the power has been turned off. Is something wrong?


----------



## mgavin




----------



## kurczak323

mgavin said:


> I turned my valhalla 2 on briefly today... (It's connected to my rack power conditioner) but then I turned off the power for the valhalla 2 AND the source of the power which is the power conditioner and the front light of the valhalla 2 is still illuminated.... Even 5 mins after the power has been turned off. Is something wrong?



That's completely normal. It will take about 20 minutes for the light to disappear. I belive the tubes are slowly discharging during that period.


----------



## mgavin

Ok cool. I also noticed the light doesn't turn on until I power the Valhalla 2. Even though it's connected to power.


----------



## Rem0o

kurczak323 said:


> That's completely normal. It will take about 20 minutes for the light to disappear. I belive the tubes are slowly discharging during that period.


 
 That's not the tubes, but the huge capacitors from the PSU section discharging. Music should still be playing too after a few seconds. Imagine how stable that thing is, you unplugged it, and it still holds a charge for minutes. Now put a slight spike on your AC line, noise, or a small voltage variation, will that affect your amp? With that beef of a PSU, nop


----------



## kurczak323

rem0o said:


> That's not the tubes, but the huge capacitors from the PSU section discharging. Music should still be playing too after a few seconds. Imagine how stable that thing is, you unplugged it, and it still holds a charge for minutes. Now put a slight spike on your AC line, noise, or a small voltage variation, will that affect your amp? With that beef of a PSU, nop



Good info


----------



## amnesiac75

I have been using my new Valhalla 2 for a few days and have noticed a small amount of background static when in high gain thats not effected by the volume pot and it goes away on low gain this is something I never had on my Valhalla 1 or with my asgard 2/ high gain it really doesn't effect the music as I only hear when music is paused but I hate using low gain with the hd 600/650 because I need to turn up to 2 o'clock on low gain to get the same volume as 1030 on high. Anyone else experience this and does it go away as the tubes burn in? 

Update - I have noticed the static almost completely goes away after the amp has been running about an hour it may be a combination of a new amp and new tubes both breaking in at the same time and I just never noticed on my other amps.


----------



## mgavin

amnesiac75 said:


> I have been using my new Valhalla 2 for a few days and have noticed a small amount of background static when in high gain thats not effected by the volume pot and it goes away on low gain this is something I never had on my Valhalla 1 or with my asgard 2/ high gain it really doesn't effect the music as I only hear when music is paused but I hate using low gain with the hd 600/650 because I need to turn up to 2 o'clock on low gain to get the same volume as 1030 on high. Anyone else experience this and does it go away as the tubes burn in?
> 
> Update - I have noticed the static almost completely goes away after the amp has been running about an hour it may be a combination of a new amp and new tubes both breaking in at the same time and I just never noticed on my other amps.




I notice zero background noise even on high gain. I'm using dt880/600ohm but I turn it up to around 1 o'clock. Are you using hd650s?


----------



## amnesiac75

Ive used both the hd 600 and hd 650 on this amp and only really noticed the static sound tonight in the first hour or so I had the amp turned on using the hd 650s it has since went away after the amp warmed up but will have to see tomorrow if it does it again. I used to own a dt 880/600 and used it with my Valhalla 1 and remember it needing to be a little higher to get same volume compared to the 600/650 ( 11 o'clock for 650 was about same as 1 o'clock for dt 880/600 ) but never had any static problems with original Valhalla


----------



## amnesiac75

The amp itself sounds great the static is very minor I'm just trying to narrow down the problem it may just be a noisey tube.


----------



## Melange

amnesiac75 said:


> The amp itself sounds great the static is very minor I'm just trying to narrow down the problem it may just be a noisey tube.




I have recently noticed a small background hum from my Valhalla 2. Today, I removed the tubes and put them back in, being careful to ensure that each was fully inserted and well seated. The hum seems to have all but disappeared, which implies that the tubes were slightly loose. You might want to try that and see if it makes a difference.


----------



## amnesiac75

melange said:


> I have recently noticed a small background hum from my Valhalla 2. Today, I removed the tubes and put them back in, being careful to ensure that each was fully inserted and well seated. The hum seems to have all but disappeared, which implies that the tubes were slightly loose. You might want to try that and see if it makes a difference.


thanks melange I did just as you described and the static is gone must have been a loose tube


----------



## sandab

Do you hear it in one channel or both?  If it's just in one channel you may have received a bad tube...
  
 Oh I see you resolved it.  Never mind.


----------



## mgavin

I love my valhalla 2 ! For my purposes it's great!!! Glad I got it instead of the lyr!


----------



## worminater

*edit*
  
 Whups, just realized this is Valhalla 2 thread; not Valhalla.  I'd delete but I can't seem to find the option
  
 */edit*.
  
 I've had my Valhalla for a few years now and have enjoyed it greatly.  However, recently (few days) the right channel seems to almost.. buzz.. at certain frequencies.  It's not limited to a single pair of headphones.
  
 Chain being Desktop -> Hub -> Schiit Modi -> <switch> -> Schiit Valhalla -> hd650
  
 Is this a sign of tube wear?  Or should I look elsewhere for the problem?  I have to deconstruct the stack to remove other potential problems; but it did seem to happen all-of-a-sudden.
  
 -Chris


----------



## WifiWizard

I am considering purchasing the Valhalla 2.  I was interested to know your thoughts since I am also considering the LD MK IV se.
  
 Since they are both about the same price I am leaning more towards the Schiit based on the 5 Year warranty and Made in USA product.
  
 Any thoughts or suggestions?
  
 Thanks,  John G in Sunny Southern Florida


----------



## mgavin

John the Valhalla 2 is made so well. I was pleasantly surprised. I tried to find flaws and couldn't find any. I'm also excited to roll the tubes eventually.


----------



## WifiWizard

Thanks for the reply.  I am getting ready to pull the trigger soon.  I think what I am going to end up doing is purchasing  both the Valhalla 2 and the Modi 2 Uber.


----------



## PWGuy

WifiWizard, I'm going with the same setup likely in the next couple weeks!


----------



## Liu Junyuan

That should be a really nice setup. I think if I were trying to drive high impedance headphones and I wanted the most value/performance, I would do exactly that--Modi 2 Uber and Valhalla 2.
  
 Which headphones will you be driving?


----------



## Mr Rick

wifiwizard said:


> Thanks for the reply.  I am getting ready to pull the trigger soon.  I think what I am going to end up doing is purchasing  both the Valhalla 2 and the Modi 2 Uber.


 
  
 I have that setup. It works great with high impedance HPs. I have the HD650s, HD800s, and 600 ohm Beyerdynamic DT880s.


----------



## WifiWizard

I have been doing some reading and I think I am going to try and find a pair of Sennheiser HD-600's.  I have also looked at the HD-650's and the Beyerdynamic DT-880's. (600 ohm)
  
 Still not sure yet


----------



## PWGuy

I just bought the HD-600s. Although I may go with a used Asgard 2 for less coin. Not sure if V2 is worth the extra $150 or so (V2 would be new). Really want good bass impact.


----------



## WifiWizard

I am trying to keep my budget under $300 for the headphones right now.  I just ordered my Schiit Audio Valhalla 2 and the Modi 2 Uber along with a pair of their PYST RCA cables so I am already invested $540.  I know that is probably WAY cheap compared to many here but being a "newbie" I think this is probably a good start.  Not sure I know what the "V2" is.  I am not a big heavy bass fan (like Dr. Dre) but I do enjoy a good solid bass. I was a DJ from back in the 1970's and use to own a pair of the Green KOSS cans I used on the radio.


----------



## Liu Junyuan

I would unhesitatingly go with the V2 over Asgard 2 for those high impedance headphones. That amp is practically tailored for the Beyers and Senns. Plus, it makes a wonderful entry setup for HD800/T1.


----------



## WifiWizard

Duh...I guess I was not thinking.  Now I understand what the "V2" was you were talking about.  I guess because I was never interested in a tube amp when the "original" Valhalla was released.  At any rate, I am all set with the Senns hd-600's now.  Just have to wait for all the goodies to show up at my doorstep!  Can't wait.  I have a brand new unopened copy of 40th Anniversary Dark Side of the Moon on 180gm vinyl that I am dying to hear!


----------



## Liu Junyuan

wifiwizard said:


> Duh...I guess I was not thinking.  Now I understand what the "V2" was you were talking about.  I guess because I was never interested in a tube amp when the "original" Valhalla was released.  At any rate, I am all set with the Senns hd-600's now.  Just have to wait for all the goodies to show up at my doorstep!  Can't wait.  I have a brand new unopened copy of 40th Anniversary Dark Side of the Moon on 180gm vinyl that I am dying to hear!




So you have the Valhalla 2 coming?


----------



## WifiWizard

Yes....I just ordered a V2 and the Modi 2 Uber yesterday.


----------



## Liu Junyuan

wifiwizard said:


> Yes....I just ordered a V2 and the Modi 2 Uber yesterday.




Congratulations! You have done better than me. I just finally got my first otl amp for my HD-650s after owning them for several years. You will be pretty happy with this setup for awhile, I wager. 

Do report back with your impressions after some extended burn-in and listening.


----------



## WifiWizard

I will do that.  I just realized that I forgot to order the Phono Pre-amp.  Oh well, I guess I may have to hold off on the Pink Floyd 40th DSOM for a bit.  It's OK though....I got to see them live "almost" that long ago!!!!  LOL


----------



## amnesiac75

I own both the Asgard 2 and the Valhalla 2 current dac is the uberfrost and have been alternating days with both amps and the sennheiser hd600s and have to say that every time I think the Asgard 2 does a great job with these phones I plug them into the Valhalla 2 and the sound just seems to come alive. I will always hang onto my Asgard 2 because I need it for my lower impedance headphones as the Valhalla 2 only really seems to shine with high ohms.


----------



## amnesiac75

Also you guys should check out the soundtrack for the movie It Follows alot of creepy music that sounds like 70s horror movie music (think the shining) . The reason I bring this up is that the Valhalla 2 really brings out the emotion of the music that the Asgard 2 doesn't .


----------



## Liu Junyuan

amnesiac75 said:


> Also you guys should check out the soundtrack for the movie It Follows alot of creepy music that sounds like 70s horror movie music (think the shining) . The reason I bring this up is that the Valhalla 2 really brings out the emotion of the music that the Asgard 2 doesn't .




I believe it. OTL amps really awaken the Senns with their higher voltage. 

Thanks for the soundtrack recommendation. I love The Shining soundtrack.


----------



## Fegefeuer

Valhalla gives a price/performance ratio that hasn't been done before with any HD 800 suitable amp. It's that damn good. THAT daaaaaaaaamn good.


----------



## Liu Junyuan

fegefeuer said:


> Valhalla gives a price/performance ratio that hasn't been done before with any HD 800 suitable amp. It's that damn good. THAT daaaaaaaaamn good.




Haha. It is true.


----------



## batracom

Hi to all,

I have just received my Valhalla 2 - first tube amp, and extremely impressed. The hype was no exaggeration, and it drives my new HD800s truly impressively.

However, the unit itself produces a transformer-related mechanical hum. It is fairly quiet as the unit is cold and just turned on (have to press your ear on the chassis to hear it), but rises in intensity as the tubes warm up. Its not a deal-breaker per se, as no hum can be heard through the phones, but I am wondering whether others have it, or whether its out of the norm. I am using power conditioning to ensure that the correct voltage (230V in my case) reaches the amp.


----------



## cocolinho

Any reco for good (cheap) tubes for Val2? to pair with HD800.
 If I could bring just a bit more body to the sound I would be happy!


----------



## WifiWizard

Let me recommend another excellent soundtrack..  Blade Runner Esper Edition by Vangelis....Outstanding!!


----------



## WifiWizard

Has anyone considered/tried using tube socket extensions in their Valhalla 2..?  I am just curious if this would effect the performance characteristics of the tubes that were installed.  These sockets are made from bakelite and would raise the installed tube approx. 19mm (approx. 3/4") (which I think might make the amp aesthetically cool looking not to mention removal and insertion of new tubes would not affect the socket on the PCB.
  
 UPDATE 05/01 15:00 - Just received this response from Schitt support - "As long as it's wired 1:1 across the pins and has normal sized pins it should be fine. They're pretty common with tube rollers, shouldn't affect the sound.
  
Just ordered four of the sockets pictured from a guy in Arizona.  This will raise the tubes approx. 3/4"
Here is the link if you are interested.
  
 http://www.ebay.com/itm/9-pin-noval-tube-socket-saver-for-12AX7-EL84-12AU7-/150471555641?


----------



## BleaK

batracom said:


> Hi to all,
> 
> I have just received my Valhalla 2 - first tube amp, and extremely impressed. The hype was no exaggeration, and it drives my new HD800s truly impressively.
> 
> However, the unit itself produces a transformer-related mechanical hum. It is fairly quiet as the unit is cold and just turned on (have to press your ear on the chassis to hear it), but rises in intensity as the tubes warm up. Its not a deal-breaker per se, as no hum can be heard through the phones, but I am wondering whether others have it, or whether its out of the norm. I am using power conditioning to ensure that the correct voltage (230V in my case) reaches the amp.


 
  
 That's perfectly normal for the first minutes, then the hum sort of disappear. It always has a really low hum, but only if you put your ears right next to it. I can't hear it 1 meter from the amp.


cocolinho said:


> Any reco for good (cheap) tubes for Val2? to pair with HD800.
> If I could bring just a bit more body to the sound I would be happy!


 
 Try some Russians 6H23P, or Amperex orange globe. But beware on ebay, lotsa fakes going around. Take a look at this thread for more info: http://www.head-fi.org/t/619910/schiit-valhalla-tube-rolling-thread/315#post_11521353


wifiwizard said:


> Let me recommend another excellent soundtrack..  Blade Runner Esper Edition by Vangelis....Outstanding!!


 
 Simply a great movie soundtrack, one of the best!


----------



## Liu Junyuan

bleak said:


> That's perfectly normal for the first minutes, then the hum sort of disappear. It always has a really low hum, but only if you put your ears right next to it. I can't hear it 1 meter from the amp.
> Try some Russians 6H23P, or Amperex orange globe. But beware on ebay, lotsa fakes going around. Take a look at this thread for more info: http://www.head-fi.org/t/619910/schiit-valhalla-tube-rolling-thread/315#post_11521353
> Simply a great movie soundtrack, one of the best!




Who has been selling fake tubes? Any particular sellers. I have been lucky thus far...


----------



## amnesiac75

wifiwizard said:


> Let me recommend another excellent soundtrack..  Blade Runner Esper Edition by Vangelis....Outstanding!!


thanks for the recommendation listened to it tonight on tidal really good music


----------



## BleaK

liu junyuan said:


> Who has been selling fake tubes? Any particular sellers. I have been lucky thus far...


 

 http://www.head-fi.org/t/619910/schiit-valhalla-tube-rolling-thread/315#post_11473317


----------



## batracom

bleak said:


> That's perfectly normal for the first minutes, then the hum sort of disappear. It always has a really low hum, but only if you put your ears right next to it. I can't hear it 1 meter from the amp.
> Try some Russians 6H23P, or Amperex orange globe. But beware on ebay, lotsa fakes going around. Take a look at this thread for more info: http://www.head-fi.org/t/619910/schiit-valhalla-tube-rolling-thread/315#post_11521353
> Simply a great movie soundtrack, one of the best!


 
 Thanks Bleak, that's what I really wanted to know - the hum is indeed really minimal, and you have to be looking for it, pressing ears against chassis, etc. But its there, and I wanted to know whether this is part of the standard operation. Luckily, nothing is coming out of the headphones, which is what really counts!


----------



## sandab

wifiwizard said:


> Has anyone considered/tried using tube socket extensions in their Valhalla 2..?


 
 I use tube savers.  They have no impact on the sound but do make the amp run much cooler, even though it still gets warm of course.  The ones I use look identical to the picture you posted!


----------



## grrorr76

sandab said:


> I use tube savers.  They have no impact on the sound but do make the amp run much cooler, even though it still gets warm of course.  The ones I use look identical to the picture you posted!


 

 I have been using tube savers since I got my Valhalla 2. Yes the really cool down the gradient heat and make it much easier to remove tubes.


----------



## WifiWizard

grrorr76 said:


> I have been using tube savers since I got my Valhalla 2. Yes the really cool down the gradient heat and make it much easier to remove tubes.


 
 I was just curious if the tube savers are still below the top of unit?


----------



## Fegefeuer

wifiwizard said:


> http://www.ebay.com/itm/9-pin-noval-tube-socket-saver-for-12AX7-EL84-12AU7-/150471555641?


 
  
 Can anyone else confirm that 9 pin is required? I am not at home right now and I'd like to import 4 of those to Germany.


----------



## WifiWizard

fegefeuer said:


> Can anyone else confirm that 9 pin is required? I am not at home right now and I'd like to import 4 of those to Germany.




Both the 6N1P and the 6N6P are 9 pin tubes


----------



## Fegefeuer

wifiwizard said:


> Both the 6N1P and the 6N6P are 9 pin tubes


 
  
 Thanks, ordered.exe


----------



## WifiWizard

PERFECT TIMING!!!  Just got home from work and found everything waiting on my doorstep. Getting ready to take the "Maiden Voyage" with my new unplayed 40th Anniversary Edition of DSOM.


----------



## WifiWizard

I just received the tube extenders and installed them in the V2.  Not only does it now operate considerably cooler, I think it also adds additional visual appeal to the unit.


----------



## vocalstrance

The tubes look good with the extensions on them. I want to get a set myself to help show them off and cool them down too. Might have to take the plunge today.
 Was the previously unplayed DSOM all you had hoped?


----------



## WifiWizard

Has anyone tried the Genalex Gold Lion ECC88/6922 tubes in their V2?  If so, what are your thoughts or other comparisons.


----------



## vocalstrance

I haven't tried them myself, but have heard the are clean and neutral. Just hearsay though. I really want to try some top grade russian 6h23. Less roll off at the ends.


----------



## Redshift Rider

wifiwizard said:


> Has anyone considered/tried using tube socket extensions in their Valhalla 2..?


 
  
 I would highly recommend them, even if you are not changing tubes often.
  
 I noticed inconsistency in sound with my amp which was due to poor tube pins contact. Guess i was not inserting tubes in properly all the time. It was very noticeable in lower freq in particular: bass would sometimes be lifeless, other times i put tubes in, it was groovy.
  
 Socket extensions solved that problem with their tight fit. Tubes are now consistently sounding at their "best"  .
  
 Extenders did not affect sound in any other way as far as i can tell. They were cheap, made tubes look beautiful and easier to replace.Amp also runs less hot than before.
  
 I got mine here:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/4PCS-Bakelite-9Pin-Tester-Saver-Tube-Socket-for-12AX7-12AU7-6DJ8-7025-12AX7B-etc-/201101126052?


----------



## headvier

I'd like to know at which volume levels do you guys listen to music with Valhalla 2 using HD-650. I've been told that 10 o'clock should be enough power to kill my ears, but mine doesn't do that even at 3 o'clock when on stock tubes and high gain. After plugging in the Lyr tubes things got a bit louder (and brighter) - now the 1 o'clock seems to be nice and relatively loud spot, but, still, at this point it should probably rip my ears off.
  
 As I was afraid that pushing the knob to the max wouldn't be safe, I asked the Schiit about this and got the answer that it won't hurt my amp. As of now I tried three different sources (all analog headphone-outs) and nothing changed - actually the tablet made the amp even more quiet. 
  
 I'm not complaining here. I don't mind pushing the amp to the limits, as long as it works and sounds good - which it does (plus, after reading an article about gain, I tried switching to low gain and it really improved the clarity of sound comparing to high gain, but the sound isn't that punchy anymore). So, out of curiosity, what could be the problem here?


----------



## Mr Rick

headvier said:


> I'd like to know at which volume levels do you guys listen to music with Valhalla 2 using HD-650. I've been told that 10 o'clock should be enough power to kill my ears, but mine doesn't do that even at 3 o'clock when on stock tubes and high gain. After plugging in the Lyr tubes things got a bit louder (and brighter) - now the 1 o'clock seems to be nice and relatively loud spot, but, still, at this point it should probably rip my ears off.
> 
> As I was afraid that pushing the knob to the max wouldn't be safe, I asked the Schiit about this and got the answer that it won't hurt my amp. As of now I tried three different sources (all analog headphone-outs) and nothing changed - actually the tablet made the amp even more quiet.
> 
> I'm not complaining here. I don't mind pushing the amp to the limits, as long as it works and sounds good - which it does (plus, after reading an article about gain, I tried switching to low gain and it really improved the clarity of sound comparing to high gain, but the sound isn't that punchy anymore). So, out of curiosity, what could be the problem here?


 
  
 Perfectly normal. The Valhalla 2 is designed to provide full output with at least a 1.5 V input. DACs typically provide 1.5 V and CD players are closer to 2 V.  Your sources do not provide enough drive to produce full output of the Valhalla. 
  
 Set the Valhalla's volume to whatever is comfortable for you.  The Valhalla can't be hurt by a low level input.


----------



## FlySweep

If there isn't any digital attenuation (i.e. from Windows, your media player, etc.), I'm sensing your DAC/source (i.e. tablet, line/headphone out from your laptop) has REALLY low output.. well below 1v, probably.. that's the only way I think you could have that kind of play on the V2's volume pot and not destroy your ears.


----------



## headvier

I've found a specification sheet for my audio chip. Could any of you please check the page no. 69?
  
 http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/datasheets/ALC268_Sound.pdf


----------



## WilCox

headvier said:


> I've found a specification sheet for my audio chip. Could any of you please check the page no. 69?
> 
> http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/datasheets/ALC268_Sound.pdf




What DAC or source are you using? That's more important than the chip itself. You will get better help if you list your audio chain from source to headphone.


----------



## vocalstrance

I have a pair of HD800's and DT990's 600 ohm and often put the volume pot to 2 o'clock to reach desired levels when playing from my Rega RP40 to Mani to Valhalla 2 on high gain. When I use the V2 as a pre amp to my M-125 monoblocks to my speakers I can't go past 10 o'clock.
 Just got in a pair of 6H23 starting the burn in.


----------



## headvier

As I'm waiting for the Bifrost Uber to come, I've tested the amp using the following sources:
  
 - Laptop Acer Extensa with onboard Realtek HD Audio
 - Netbook Packard Bell with onboard Realtek HD Audio (but slightly newer codec)
 - old portable Sony Walkman CD Player
 - Dell Venue 7 tablet
  
 These are all headphone-out only devices. At 12 o'clock the Valhalla 2 seems to be almost as loud as when I use my HD-650s unamped directly from the sources mentioned above. Before I changed the tubes from stock to Lyr it was even more quiet. The worst case is with the tablet - it's super quiet and it lacks bass comparing to other devices.


----------



## BleaK

Remember to always have your software at max volume. With the bifrost incoming and volumed maxed on you pc/tablet/etc. you won't have this problem


----------



## amnesiac75

Gungnir or uberfrost into valhalla 2 using hd600s 9:30-12 o'clock is the range I use anything past 12 is too loud.


----------



## Jeangenie

grrorr76 said:


> I have been using tube savers since I got my Valhalla 2. Yes the really cool down the gradient heat and make it much easier to remove tubes.


 
 Can you compare the cheap tube savers vs the one from tube mongers?


----------



## mikescchen

Bifrost Uber into Valhalla 2, driving Beyer T1.
 Usually the pot in 9:00 ~ 11:00, unless playing albums with low volume.
 BTW, both of my 2 24bit albums has lower volume. Not sure if there's a relation though.


----------



## grrorr76

mikescchen said:


> Bifrost Uber into Valhalla 2, driving Beyer T1.
> Usually the pot in 9:00 ~ 11:00, unless playing albums with low volume.
> BTW, both of my 2 24bit albums has lower volume. Not sure if there's a relation though.


 

 I have the exact combo How do you like it. I had to get some really nice tubes to really make it sing. But ITs a stunning combo. I have a large 24bit collection so very happy camper.


----------



## mikescchen

grrorr76 said:


> I have the exact combo How do you like it. I had to get some really nice tubes to really make it sing. But ITs a stunning combo. I have a large 24bit collection so very happy camper.


 
 I'm using stock tubes now, and have no idea about tubes lol
 My music genres are: classical, folk metal, J-pop, movie/anime soundtracks, etc.
 So I think it's good to keep the sound signature neutral.
 Any suggestion? welcome


----------



## grrorr76

mikescchen said:


> I'm using stock tubes now, and have no idea about tubes lol
> My music genres are: classical, folk metal, J-pop, movie/anime soundtracks, etc.
> So I think it's good to keep the sound signature neutral.
> Any suggestion? welcome


 

*I am using the Telefunkan ULM diamond ones there about 400 a pair but man it makes the Valhalla sing. I also really like the Mullards the british ones about half the cost of the telefunkans . For the output tubes I love the Voskhod Rocket's there about $40 and sound liquid smooth and very musical. I am into an eclectic amount of music to. Everything from Orchestral to prog rock as well. My combination sounds a lot more expensive than it is.*


----------



## mikescchen

grrorr76 said:


> *I am using the Telefunkan ULM diamond ones there about 400 a pair but man it makes the Valhalla sing. I also really like the Mullards the british ones about half the cost of the telefunkans . For the output tubes I love the Voskhod Rocket's there about $40 and sound liquid smooth and very musical. I am into an eclectic amount of music to. Everything from Orchestral to prog rock as well. My combination sounds a lot more expensive than it is.*


 
 OK thanks!


----------



## Anavel0

Just pulled the trigger on a Valhalla 2! I'm really excited to hear it compared to my Little Dot MK III that I've had for almost a decade now. I haven't ordered any additional tubes yet. I figure I'll try it stock for a while before I do any rolling. Although I might roll in my 6H6P-IR power tubes from the Little Dot.


----------



## BleaK

anavel0 said:


> Just pulled the trigger on a Valhalla 2! I'm really excited to hear it compared to my Little Dot MK III that I've had for almost a decade now. I haven't ordered any additional tubes yet. I figure I'll try it stock for a while before I do any rolling. Although I might roll in my 6H6P-IR power tubes from the Little Dot.


 
 You're gonna love it!
  
 As for the tubes, I've tried to roll both 6922 and 6N6P. The stock are really really good. But if you venture into tube rolling on the pre-tubes, I would recommend to try to find some Russian 6H23p(-EB) from pre 80's (around 50$ for matched pair). Excellent tube for the price.


----------



## beginner1

Grabbed one of these and bifrost dac to sit between my soundcard and cans and have spent a bit of time on it, sounds great but I'm wondering if I there might be some tubes that'll squeeze a little more bass out of it?  I'm new to tubes so very interested in what a change in tubes can do with the sound, just not sure what to buy?


----------



## wwmhf

I recently bought a Valhalla 2 amp. It is the best purchase made in recent couple years. As intended, it works very well with my high impedance phones. In fact, it is the best tube amp of mine to work with my Byerdynamic T1. 
  
 As it is, this amp is HOT, physically. Of course, the 4 tubes generate some heat as expected. In addition, the two transformers are also very hot. Further, I think the Valhalla 2' box can have some improvements for reducing the temperature of the amp. For now, I am running this amp without the black back panel. Without this back panel, heat generated inside the amp can be easily dissipated into the ambiance and the amp's working temperature is much lower. In this way, it is also easier for me to swap tubes.


----------



## Billheiser

wwmhf said:


> I recently bought a Valhalla 2 amp. It is the best purchase made in recent couple years. As intended, it works very well with my high impedance phones. In fact, it is the best tube amp of mine to work with my Byerdynamic T1.
> 
> As it is, this amp is HOT, physically. Of course, the 4 tubes generate some heat as expected. In addition, the two transformers are also very hot. Further, I think the Valhalla 2' box can have some improvements for reducing the temperature of the amp. For now, I am running this amp without the black back panel. Without this back panel, heat generated inside the amp can be easily dissipated into the ambiance and the amp's working temperature is much lower. In this way, it is also easier for me to swaps tubes.


 

 You of course can do that if you want, but according to Jason Stoddard in his posts, all temps are WELL within specs for the components and nothing to worry about.


----------



## wwmhf

billheiser said:


> You of course can do that if you want, but according to Jason Stoddard in his posts, all temps are WELL within specs for the components and nothing to worry about.


 
  
 Sure, I understand that a hot amp does not mean it is not a good performing amp and does not mean it is not a reliable amp. My observation just indicates that this amp is much hotter than my other tube amps. 
  
 Also, I do not recommend what I did unless you are really sure/confident about what you are doing. Another issue is that doing so might void your warranty.


----------



## DrKC

wwmhf said:


> I recently bought a Valhalla 2 amp. It is the best purchase made in recent couple years. As intended, it works very well with my high impedance phones. In fact, it is the best tube amp of mine to work with my Byerdynamic T1.
> 
> As it is, this amp is HOT, physically. Of course, the 4 tubes generate some heat as expected. In addition, the two transformers are also very hot. Further, I think the Valhalla 2' box can have some improvements for reducing the temperature of the amp. For now, I am running this amp without the black back panel. Without this back panel, heat generated inside the amp can be easily dissipated into the ambiance and the amp's working temperature is much lower. In this way, it is also easier for me to swaps tubes.


 

 I have a Valhalla also.  I was surprised at how warm it got.  It runs warmer than my MP-301 which is Class A with a pair of EL34s.  The V is compact, which is nice.  But even the Volume knob gets hot.  It reminds me of my older Audio Alchemy Class A SS amp.  You could almost fry an egg on top of it before I added some 1 inch high heatsinks to it.  But as noted, I'm sure the Schiit guys have the thermal profile accommodated.  It's just a neat amp - glad I got one.


----------



## Anavel0

Okay I've had the Valhalla 2 for a couple of hours now. My initial findings versus my Little Dot MK III are a lot better control of the bass with my HD 650. Greater detail or transparency. The MK III is know for being very tubey or soft. The Valhalla 2 is none of that. The MK III is a Lipizzaner stallion prancing around. The Valhalla 2 is a Clydesdale. The treble is less rolled off up top which is nice. Mids are less "lush" sounding and a lot more neutral. Male vocals still sound real good; I haven't listened to any female vocals yet to comment on them. My favorite detail is the potentiometer! It's a whole hell of a lot more linear than the MK III's. Nice smooth gradual increase. Where the MK III God real loud real quick so there wasn't much play to it.


----------



## JustinBieber

It's quiet in here!
  
 Anyway, I just got el cheapo socket savers in the mail (cheapest from eBay... $9 for four pieces!). I was a bit worried because I saw some posts where people noticed sound degration, noise, etc. But they are working great. They look really cool and lower the temps of the amp.


----------



## JustinBieber

Aaaand I spoke too soon! There is actually quite a bit of a bass hum and background static with the socket savers, even with the RCA cables disconnected. Just noticed when I listened to music with high dynamic range. Oh poo. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 It really stinks that we only have the cheap eBay sockets or the super expensive Tube mongers, nothing in between.


----------



## Billheiser

justinbieber said:


> Aaaand I spoke too soon! There is actually quite a bit of a bass hum and background static with the socket savers, even with the RCA cables disconnected. Just noticed when I listened to music with high dynamic range. Oh poo.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 There's a way to get ZERO noise and hum, for even less than you paid for the cheap eBay socket extenders.  Can you already guess what I'm going to recommend?


----------



## beginner1

I went for the tubemongers, cost a fair bit to do all 4 but havn't noticed any impact on sound, happy with them, just need to bless them with some awesome tubes.


----------



## sandab

justinbieber said:


> It really stinks that we only have the cheap eBay sockets or the super expensive Tube mongers, nothing in between.


 
 I use these:
  
 http://newoldsounds.com/275-socket-saversadapters
  
 They're $5 a pop for the 9 pin ones.  No connection problems whatsoever.


----------



## cyberridz

Has anyone ever tried the Valhalla 2 with any of the Grados, AKGs or Hifimans? Are they any good with them. Curious as to what the bass performance on these headphones sound like, compared with the Asgard 2 or the Lyr 2? Any subjective thoughts on these headphones with the Valhalla 2?


----------



## JustinBieber

cyberridz said:


> Has anyone ever tried the Valhalla 2 with any of the Grados, AKGs or Hifimans? Are they any good with them. Curious as to what the bass performance on these headphones sound like, compared with the Asgard 2 or the Lyr 2? Any subjective thoughts on these headphones with the Valhalla 2?


 
 I've tried with Hifimans. With HE500 they get up to a good volume level, but the bass gets distorted when you push it hard and you lose quite a bit of dynamics. With more efficient planars like the HE560 it doesn't sound too bad. You get the same problems as the HE500 except at a smaller scale. 
  
 Magni, Emotiva Mini X, and Lyr (I had first gen) solved all those issues. I personally prefer it as Lyr>Emotiva>Magni. They all have power but Magni is a bit bright sounding and the Emotiva is noisy (it's a speaker amp).


----------



## Billheiser

cyberridz said:


> Has anyone ever tried the Valhalla 2 with any of the Grados, AKGs or Hifimans? Are they any good with them. Curious as to what the bass performance on these headphones sound like, compared with the Asgard 2 or the Lyr 2? Any subjective thoughts on these headphones with the Valhalla 2?



I've tried Grado Rs1e and Hifiman 400i on the Valhalla2. It works fine on them (use low gain setting). I disliked the Grado on any amp but YMMV. 
The 400i was quite good on the V2 but not quite as good on it as the Sennheiser 600 or 650, which are especially well suited for the amp because of their 300 ohm impedance.
(Edit: I therefore suspected that V2 was not the ideal amp for the 400i.)


----------



## notfitforpublic

Wondering what's everybody's favourite cans for the Valhalla these days. Senn's and Beyer's obviously at the top of the list, but has anyone found any other headphones that sync well with the Valhalla? Been tough finding high impedance phones to match.


----------



## HPiper

I like listening to my T1's on a Valhalla. I also like listening to my Grado's pretty well, they sound better on my Lyr but the Valhalla isn't bad.


----------



## drabbish

valhalla gets great reviews every where between headphones and 2 channel rigs, never go wrong with those


----------



## vocalstrance

Agreed, I use a V2 for my living room 2 channel and one in my bedroom for headphones. The sound quality and build quality put a smile on my face.


----------



## SearchOfSub

I just got the Valhalla 2 in (stock tubes) and compared to Matrix Mstage HPA-1 - it blows away the HPA-1 in every way.


----------



## kirayamato

do these work with the he1000?


----------



## Anavel0

kirayamato said:


> do these work with the he1000?


Technically? Yes it works with the HE1000. But it probably isn't the best choice for the HE1000. Valhalla is for high impedance headphones, over 100 impedance. HE1000 is only 35 impedance.


----------



## Araki

Someone uses the output to a power amp?


----------



## Araki

Which amp model?


----------



## vocalstrance

I use it for my Schiit Ragnarok, and another as a preamp for my M-125 monoblocks from Bob Latino. They do a great job as a headphone amp and preamp.


----------



## mjgr33n

I am currently having an issue with my Valhalla 2 connected via pre-out to my Arcam Diva A85 in power amp mode, I get DC offset errors, any suggestions or any recommendations for dedicated alternative power amps, ones that are a little less sensitive etc?


----------



## Nicklikesmusic

Does anyone notice that after a few hours of listening (when the Valhalla 2 gets so hot you can barely touch the volume knob) that it sounds even better, sparkly treble with a beautiful warm open soundstage that never fatigues the listener (even with HD800)? Maybe it's my head fooling me but I don't think 40min to 1 hour is enough of a warmup time to get the amp to it's best. Look forward to other people's comments so I know if I'm fooling myself or not....


----------



## vocalstrance

I agree the V2 needs to be fully warmed up to hear it at it's best. Beat is just something that comes with having tube amps though. My other tube amps take over an hour as well to sound their best.


----------



## Anavel0

Yep, that's how all tube amps are. The tubes run best after they have, literally, warmed up. 

If you feel the Valhalla is getting too warm you might want to get some socket savers. They're really meant to protect tube sockets on devices that have tubes changes frequently. But for the Valhalla they just raise the tubes up about an inch. Which lets their heat not affect the chassis as much.


----------



## vocalstrance

Socket savers do help reduce the heat of the chasis, but I had purchase cheap ones and they added unwanted noise to the system. If your gonna go this route, buy quality.


----------



## Nicklikesmusic

zilch0md said:


> Hi ModestMeowth,
> 
> First, I would like to encourage you to try it with your HD800, before listening to me or any other people who have moved on.
> 
> ...


 

 I know a lot of people read these posts to make a purchasing decision (as I once did) so I thought I would chime in with my own opinion. I own the Valhalla 2 and use a Rega Apollo CD player and the HD800. I don't think you can blame the Valhalla 2 100% for the 'sitting well back in the stage' soundstage as described above. The soundstage is extremely source dependant and the HD800 will magnify these changes. If I use a source such as this mac laptop (analogue out) I am writing upon or the Sony Z series walkman then I agree with the above comment and it is a sound that appears too distant and lacks body, dynamics and cohesiveness. If I use the Rega Apollo CD player then the front stage appears closer yet contains so many  more layers of  information which work cohesively together and it feels more real. My possibly flawed opinion is that there are some sources whose DAC's have a built in 'widescreen effect' to make them sound more open and attractive to purchasers as the different soundstage is so easily noticed. i.e. Apple iPods , new Z Series onwards Sony Walkman's. The only issue is that these sources can be 'spread too thinly' when the HD800 is involved. End of the day I guess I am trying to say that by changing the source can change everything about the system and to new owners please do not think that the Valhalla 2 exhibits these characteristics with all sources  This is just my personal opinion and I agree with zilch0md on all other matters i.e.lack of harshness etc.


----------



## wwmhf

I tried AKG Q701 and K7XX on my Valhalla 2. I do not like them on this amp as much as Sennheiser HD650, the difference is quite obvious. Valhalla is supposed to work with high impedance phones better. 
  
 Quote:


cyberridz said:


> Has anyone ever tried the Valhalla 2 with any of the Grados, AKGs or Hifimans? Are they any good with them. Curious as to what the bass performance on these headphones sound like, compared with the Asgard 2 or the Lyr 2? Any subjective thoughts on these headphones with the Valhalla 2?


----------



## JustinBieber

Hey guys. I'm having a strange issue with my Valhalla. It seems that when I change the gain from low to high the left channel becomes louder than the right. I'm playing some sine tones and there seems to be a obvious volume difference, and it's not from the potentiometer imbalance (lowered source and cranked the amp up).
  
 Has anyone else experienced this? Any suggestions? I'm going to change the tubes after it cools down, hopefully that works.
  
  
 EDIT: It looks like swapping the power tubes to the other socket makes the right channel louder than left, guess I need new tubes. Kind of perplexing how it only happens with high gain though.


----------



## Asr

I recently bought a used unit here on Head-Fi and have it paired up with the Bifrost 4490, driving a Senn HD600, Beyer DT990-600, and Audio-Technica R70x.
  
 Now I haven't really done a comparison to any other amps yet (well, not that I really have a comparable amp anyway, since the only other amps I have right now are a Gilmore Lite and Project Solstice), but all of those headphones are sounding pretty dang amazing on the Valhalla 2. _Especially _the HD600—holy crap does the HD600 sound amazing! I last had an HD600 several years ago, so I don't remember much from my last experience, but the HD600 on the Valhalla 2 (and Bifrost 4490) is just supremely fantastic—it's surreally vivid-sounding with the most beautiful tone I've heard since—well, the Grado HP1000 probably, which I last had a few years ago.
  
 I got the HD600 pretty much just to compare it to the R70x (and the two headphones do sound quite similar btw, which I'd wanted to confirm for myself) and wasn't really planning on keeping it long-term, but this setup has me re-thinking those plans....


----------



## Nalor

Well as you found, the Valhalla 2 pairs well with high impedance headphones. I've listened every so often to my HD600's on the Valhalla 2.   Like many tubes amps, and makes those type of headphones shine.


----------



## OG10

Got this for my soon to arrive HD800
  
 Been listening to my HD600.. wow.
 I love it!!
  
 Have any of tube rolled that add / change anything about the sound output?
  
 What are the weird ring things that people use around the tubes?


----------



## Anavel0

The rings are to help with tube interference or micro harmonics. I personally haven't noticed any need for them in the Valhalla 2. I can't say much for input tube rolling. I did have a spare set of 6N6P-IR output tubes; but they made little difference.


----------



## EinZweiDrei

Do you guys use low or high gain for 300ohms senns and 600ohmn beyers?


----------



## OG10

Er.. guys I have a constant hiss gentle crackling sound now in the background. Its barely audible but its there..
  
 Is this to be expected of tube amps  ?


----------



## vocalstrance

Is it in both channels, or just one? If it is just one, it is most likely a tube and you can switch the left and right channel tubes to verify. If it is both, then I don't know.


----------



## Billheiser

einzweidrei said:


> Do you guys use low or high gain for 300ohms senns and 600ohmn beyers?


 

 Definitely, high gain.


----------



## Billheiser

og10 said:


> Er.. guys I have a constant hiss gentle crackling sound now in the background. Its barely audible but its there..
> 
> Is this to be expected of tube amps  ?


 

 No.  Not normal/expected.


----------



## OG10

Both channels 
  
 I have checked on different power sockets to see if it was a ground loop too, and that doesn't seem to be the case.
  
 Maybe time to contact Schiit


----------



## Anavel0

Yep, shoot them an email. 

I will say I always notice this on every tube amp I've owned when the tubes are about to die. Hopefully it's just that.


----------



## OG10

This is brand new.. though I guess they could have packaged with old tubes?


----------



## EinZweiDrei

How are the stock tubes? Decent? Or is it better of swapping them? Someone here mentioned the bass being a bit boomy. Which tubes would you recommend to tame it down a bit and have a neutral sound presentation. Im planning on running hd650, hd600, dt880(600Ω), and k701 when my valhalla 2 arrives.


----------



## Nick-s-f

einzweidrei said:


> How are the stock tubes? Decent? Or is it better of swapping them? Someone here mentioned the bass being a bit boomy. Which tubes would you recommend to tame it down a bit and have a neutral sound presentation. Im planning on running hd650, hd600, dt880(600Ω), and k701 when my valhalla 2 arrives.


 
  
  Recent new valhalla 2 owner here. Been using it with HD600's and the bass coming from the stock tubes is very satisfying (coming from magni 2 uber). Every song on this setup feels like it has proper weight, and..feeling (one might say emotive).
  
  If anything, they are a _tiny _bit bright. Not sure if I would call it boomy. I would say meaty..or correct amount of bass. 
  
  I don't feel the need to change tubes at all, but this is my first tube amp so...I cannot speak of alternate tubes.
  
  Instant tube convert here...and loving it
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





.


----------



## OG10

Well.. I think its probably my tubes causing the hiss.
  
 I've ordered the Genalex Gold Lion 6922
  
 We'll see if that reduces the noise floor..


----------



## Anavel0

og10 said:


> Well.. I think its probably my tubes causing the hiss.
> 
> I've ordered the Genalex
> Gold Lion 6922
> ...


I'd still get a hold of Schiit. If it's new they'll probably swap you tubes.


----------



## OG10

Yeah, I've raised a ticket with them already. 
  
 I guess I'll have a spare for the future. 
  
 Gosh when you go valve amplifier solid states sounds terrible 
 Solid state does sound good for some types of music I guess - I guess I'll need two amps then!


----------



## Anavel0

It's real hard to go back to solid-state. Especially with Valhalla 2 playing so well with the stock tubes.


----------



## EinZweiDrei

what? isn't the val2 suppose to be very solid state like for a tube?


----------



## OG10

So issue resolved..
  
 On high gain mode the hiss was present, I switched to low gain and its completely gone. 
 So using low gain and the 11-12 o clock position for volume 
  
 Very happy!!


----------



## EinZweiDrei

has any1 compared valhalla 2 to the the original valhalla 1 in terms of sound quality?
 it seems like they shared the same tubes.


----------



## Nick-s-f

og10 said:


> So issue resolved..
> 
> On high gain mode the hiss was present, I switched to low gain and its completely gone.
> So using low gain and the 11-12 o clock position for volume
> ...


 
 Did you still order the Genalex Gold Lions? I'm thinking of getting a pair of those too.

 Unfortunately I cannot find many impressions or input on how they sound vs stock valhalla 2 tubes.


----------



## Nick-s-f

einzweidrei said:


> what? isn't the val2 suppose to be very solid state like for a tube?


 
  Thats a bit tough to call.

  On one hand, tubes are usually preferred for extra warmth and smoothness. The stock tubes definitely add that, and my HD600's are now capable of sub-bass as well.

  On the other, the stock tubes are very bright in the upper-mids..similar to my magni 2 uber(solid state). It makes voices very clear..but sometimes too bright/sharp. This may be where the 'SS-like' opinion comes from. 
  
 If I can find a set of tubes that tame those upper-mids and keep everything else the same, it would be perfect. Its not a huge problem..I love the stock tubes, just nitpicking.
  
 I never use EQ also, for what its worth.


----------



## EinZweiDrei

nick-s-f said:


> Thats a bit tough to call.
> 
> On one hand, tubes are usually preferred for extra warmth and smoothness. The stock tubes definitely add that, and my HD600's are now capable of sub-bass as well.
> 
> ...


 

 making the hd6xx series open up its sub bass sounds really promising.
 lack of sub bass is the main issue i have with these phones out of my current source.
 i hate to say this but i actually prefer my k701 for electronic over my hd650 out of my m9xx most of the time.
 for me my k701 and hd600 gets the most time on my head.
 i haven't tried my dt880(600ohms) yet.still unopened from its box .
 trying to find a day where i can have some serious listening.
 how is the valhalla2 different from valhalla1 in terms of sound?
 is there a thread or post somewhere that compares them? i can't seem to find it.


----------



## Anavel0

I don't have any direct links; but I know you can google search for Valhalla 2 reviews. There were a lot of comparisons when Valhalla 2 originally launched.


----------



## EinZweiDrei

i looked around alot of places for sound impressions of the valhalla 2 and im finding reviews way too varied to the point where it sounds like they're talking about different amps. someone said it sucked the bass out of his hd650, some say the sound is too thin sounding. someone said its very muddy sounding. some guy said it made his hd6xx series sound compressed. others say it increased the soundstage dramatically. some say its way too bright. there are people who says it tightened its bass and increased sub bass. why are the reviews and sound impression so varied for this particular gear? usually its something similar like how some say dt880s are way too bright for them to handle and some say its emphasis on treble makes cymbals crash and guitars crunch sound really clear. but the valhalla 2 is way too varied in reviews to the point that it seems like they're talking about different amps. im about to receive my valhalla 2 soon and im a bit worried.


----------



## Billheiser

einzweidrei said:


> i looked around alot of places for sound impressions of the valhalla 2 and im finding reviews way too varied to the point where it sounds like they're talking about different amps. someone said it sucked the bass out of his hd650, some say the sound is too thin sounding. someone said its very muddy sounding. some guy said it made his hd6xx series sound compressed. others say it increased the soundstage dramatically. some say its way too bright. there are people who says it tightened its bass and increased sub bass. why are the reviews and sound impression so varied for this particular gear? usually its something similar like how some say dt880s are way too bright for them to handle and some say its emphasis on treble makes cymbals crash and guitars crunch sound really clear. but the valhalla 2 is way too varied in reviews to the point that it seems like they're talking about different amps. im about to receive my valhalla 2 soon and im a bit worried.


 

 Ein.  Good, you're getting one and can decide for yourself.
 Zwei.  There will be varying opinions about everything, from headphones to space exploration.  Not all of them are right.
 Drei. The actual correct opinion on the Valhalla 2 is that it is one of the best headphone amps for its price in the world.  For a tube amp, it has very little if any of the old-style tube weaknesses.  Yet it improves on the character of old-style transistor weaknesses.
 Vier.  There's actually a pretty good consensus on its quality and sound, I think.  There will always be outliers, but this is an admired amp in general.  
 Fünf.  See #1.


----------



## Nick-s-f

*EinZweiDrei, what amp and DAC are you currently using? Would like to hear your impressions of the Valhalla 2.*


----------



## EinZweiDrei

nick-s-f said:


> *EinZweiDrei, what amp and DAC are you currently using? Would like to hear your impressions of the Valhalla 2.*


 
 my current sources are graces design m9xx dac/amp. matrix m stage amp. and hrt music streamer 2 dac.
 im not very good at making impressions. the valhalla 2 will be my first tube amp when it gets delivered.
 so i can't really compare it to my other amp since its a solid state. im planning to run mainly my hd650 and hd600
 out of the valhalla 2 when i get it. the dac will be the m9xx. RCA out from m9xx set at unity gain to valhalla 2.
 when it comes to sound impressions i find comparisons more reliable than just plain reviews. but if reviews have comparisons
 or examples then even better. i just like having a familiar base sound to measure other sounds.
 but i don't find my hearing to be very reliable though.


----------



## OG10

nick-s-f said:


> Did you still order the Genalex Gold Lions? I'm thinking of getting a pair of those too.
> 
> Unfortunately I cannot find many impressions or input on how they sound vs stock valhalla 2 tubes.


 
 Yes, I am using them now. 
  
 Versus the stock ones the biggest noticeable change for me has been the tightness of the bass. 
 When playing classical music with a lot of kettle drums the sound is very different. It is tighter and more powerful. 
 There is also a bit of extension in sub bass. When listening to Bach I can feel the flutter off the pipe organs a bit more. 
 I wont be changing back to stock now


----------



## EinZweiDrei

Would you guys say the 250Ω or the 600Ω dt880s run better on this amp?


----------



## wwmhf

einzweidrei said:


> Would you guys say the 250Ω or the 600Ω dt880s run better on this amp?


 
  
 I like Senn 650 and Beyer T1 on Valhalla 2, but I do not like Beyer DT880 (600 ohm) that much.


----------



## EinZweiDrei

wwmhf said:


> I like Senn 650 and Beyer T1 on Valhalla 2, but I do not like Beyer DT880 (600 ohm) that much.


 

 what year did you purchased your hd650 from? there are version differences in sound.


----------



## wwmhf

einzweidrei said:


> what year did you purchased your hd650 from? there are version differences in sound.


 
  
 I am having two newer versions for now. I sold a very older version a few year ago. These two newer sound more transparent than the older one, and these two newer sound slightly different from each other. I bought one of the newer one here used with grey box, but the newest one from a online store last year whose box is black.


----------



## EinZweiDrei

since im new to tube amps, theres this one issue im worried about.
 tubes have a finite life span like most electronics.
 what happens if one of your tube dies on you when you have headphone plugged in and music playing?
 is there a way to predetermine when a tube is about to reach the end of its life?


----------



## wwmhf

einzweidrei said:


> since im new to tube amps, theres this one issue im worried about.
> tubes have a finite life span like most electronics.
> what happens if one of your tube dies on you when you have headphone plugged in and music playing?
> is there a way to predetermine when a tube is about to reach the end of its life?


 
  
 A sudden death does happen, but the amp's sound usually becomes bad, then to worse, then the tube dies ...


----------



## vocalstrance

I have had other tubes blow on my monoblocks but always when powering up. It always created a horrible noise, so I would just shut it down with a quickness, but it was always was from too much voltage. The Valhalla 2 has never blown a tube on me yet. Their self bias let's the tubes have a long life in comparison to some other gear. 
Don't worry about it and enjoy the music.


----------



## EinZweiDrei

so if a tube blow out when headphones plugged in with sounds playing will there be damage done to the amp or headphones?


----------



## wwmhf

einzweidrei said:


> so if a tube blow out when headphones plugged in with sounds playing will there be damage done to the amp or headphones?


 
  
 Just like @vocalstrance said "Don't worry about it and enjoy the music."


----------



## Billheiser

einzweidrei said:


> so if a tube blow out when headphones plugged in with sounds playing will there be damage done to the amp or headphones?


 
 Human fatalities caused by blown tubes are rare; and usually the person is elderly or sick anyway, so it's not a major threat.  Sometimes - not often - there can be damage to headphones, but since tubes tend to give warning signs before they blow, you have a chance to replace them before you see fireworks.


----------



## EinZweiDrei

How come valhalla 1 and 2 are about the same price on amazon when valhalla2 is the upgraded version. Lyr2 cost noticeably more than lyr1.


----------



## EinZweiDrei

ok just got my valhalla 2. and i've tested low gain and high gain option with the k701. low gain provides a bigger soundstage it seems.
 sorry for the double post.
 bass doesn't seem as tight as i like them to be. hopefully that'll change with burn in.
 what gain setting do you guys use with your hd6xx series?
 can i switch between high gain and low gain when the amp is on or do i have to turn it off to change it.
 if i can switch it while its on i can make easier comparisons between headphones and gain settings on them.
 just trying to fiddle around and see what i like.


----------



## vocalstrance

You can change the gain while the Valhalla 2 is on, BUT turn down the volume first. A loud pop will sound through the transducers if you don't.


----------



## Billheiser

vocalstrance said:


> You can change the gain while the Valhalla 2 is on, BUT turn down the volume first. A loud pop will sound through the transducers if you don't.



Agree with the first sentence. But not the second - in my experience, there's no pop at all. You can switch the gain up or down while playing headphones, no problem.


----------



## EinZweiDrei

well regardless if there will be a popping sound or not, turning the volume down seems like a good idea and ill follow that advice. and also how long does it take for tubes to settle in to their permanent sound?
 so far theres this glare somewhere on top and it doesn't sound very dynamnic compared to straight out of my m9xx.
 also noticeably not as smooth as my m9xx.


----------



## chump123

Hey guys.
 I am going to use Sennheiser HD 700, 150 ohms.
 Would hi gain work better than low?


----------



## wwmhf

chump123 said:


> Hey guys.
> I am going to use Sennheiser HD 700, 150 ohms.
> Would hi gain work better than low?


 
  
 You can try the low gain first for Sennheiser HD 700. I found the low gain works OK for my HD 650 (300 ohm), but I definitely prefer the high gain for the Beyer T1 (600 ohm)


----------



## wwmhf

einzweidrei said:


> well regardless if there will be a popping sound or not, turning the volume down seems like a good idea and ill follow that advice. and also how long does it take for tubes to settle in to their permanent sound?
> so far theres this glare somewhere on top and it doesn't sound very dynamnic compared to straight out of my m9xx.
> also noticeably not as smooth as my m9xx.


 
  
 AKG K701 is a challenge for Valhalla 2.


----------



## EinZweiDrei

yea it seems so. 180mw into 50ohms compared to m9xx's 650mw.
 ill do further testing with my hd600 and hd650.


----------



## chump123

Does your guys valhalla 2 power light still light up when you turn the power off?
 My valhalla light still is on and it turns off like 10 min after.
 I even unplugedd the power plug and still does this.
 Is this normal?


----------



## Billheiser

chump123 said:


> Does your guys valhalla 2 power light still light up when you turn the power off?
> My valhalla light still is on and it turns off like 10 min after.
> I even unplugedd the power plug and still does this.
> Is this normal?


 

 Yes, normal!  Not a malfunction.


----------



## EinZweiDrei

Mine takes over an hour for the light to cpmpletely be off.


----------



## wwmhf

chump123 said:


> Does your guys valhalla 2 power light still light up when you turn the power off?
> My valhalla light still is on and it turns off like 10 min after.
> I even unplugedd the power plug and still does this.
> Is this normal?


 
  
 It is normal. The led light is very efficient and the caps in Valhalla 2 hold quite amount of energy.


----------



## chump123

I see that is good to hear.  I thought that was malfunction for a moment.
 Thanks.


----------



## Nick-s-f

og10 said:


> Yes, I am using them now.
> 
> Versus the stock ones the biggest noticeable change for me has been the tightness of the bass.
> When playing classical music with a lot of kettle drums the sound is very different. It is tighter and more powerful.
> ...


 
 +1

 I ordered some gold lions (matched pair) a while back, and they finally arrived yesterday. I ran them in for a few hours before listening for a few hours.

 Bass is slightly less in quantity, but they are more balanced and have no sign of upper-mid glare (I mentioned it a few posts back).

 I find them more enjoyable and linear than stock.


----------



## EinZweiDrei

is this the gold lion tubes you speak of?
http://www.amazon.com/Genalex-Gold-Lion-E88CC-Tube/dp/B00D1DDKNM


----------



## Nick-s-f

einzweidrei said:


> is this the gold lion tubes you speak of?
> http://www.amazon.com/Genalex-Gold-Lion-E88CC-Tube/dp/B00D1DDKNM


 
 Yeah, except I ordered the 'matched pair', here:

 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ZH3F8R0?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00
  
 I can't say whether a 'matched' set is better than two seperate tubes, but the way I see it: better safe than sorry. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 I must add this about the stock tubes: if you love the generous bass quantity they provide, you may not like the GL's. However, the entire frequency is very well balanced with the GL's. Everything is tight and even-sounding through them.

 I find them particularly good with rock music.


----------



## EinZweiDrei

yea it sounds a bit too boomy.. but not that bad. and that glare really bothered me a bit.


----------



## EinZweiDrei

the valhalla 2 can get pretty hot after a long session even with socket savers. its winter now so i guess thats fine but how do
 you guys deal with this during summer? will the heat cause significant damage to any of the components?


----------



## Billheiser

einzweidrei said:


> the valhalla 2 can get pretty hot after a long session even with socket savers. its winter now so i guess thats fine but how do
> you guys deal with this during summer? will the heat cause significant damage to any of the components?


 

 No, won't cause any damage.  The heat from the amp is appropriate for the design.  Don't stack things on top of it, obviously.  Fine to stack components under it.
 If you want a cooler-running amp then you just need to select and buy a cooler-running amp.  But it probably won't sound as good...


----------



## EinZweiDrei

im just a bit worried since anything with tubes are pretty delicate. buts its good to hear that it'll survive the summer heat.


----------



## Billheiser

einzweidrei said:


> im just a bit worried since anything with tubes are pretty delicate. buts its good to hear that it'll survive the summer heat.



Tubes are not necessarily that delicate. Think of touring musicians who load their tubed guitar amps in and out every night. And the ambient temperature in a room doesn't make a significant difference to the tube, since it's running much hotter than that anyway.


----------



## Anavel0

Buying socket savers will help with heat too. If you're rea concerned. They raise the tubes up about an inch. 

That said, they aren't needed or required. I like the look with the tubes outside the chassis more, though.


----------



## EinZweiDrei

anavel0 said:


> Buying socket savers will help with heat too. If you're rea concerned. They raise the tubes up about an inch.
> 
> That said, they aren't needed or required. I like the look with the tubes outside the chassis more, though.


 

 it helps with tube rolling atleast. putting in and taking out the tube is quite difficult with schiit amps.


----------



## Nick-s-f

einzweidrei said:


> yea it sounds a bit too boomy.. but not that bad. and that glare really bothered me a bit.


 
   I've had quite some more time to listen to the gold lions and figure I'd give an update.
  
   They seem to be a bit on the bright side, but not glare, its more on top (cymbals, hi hats, etc).

   They are wonderfully detailed, though. On songs with multiple guitarists playing at once, I can more easily pick 
 out the different instruments. The stock and the gold lions seem to compliment each other very well. Where the stockers
 have good slam and add feeling to the music; the GL's have finesse, great timbre (with guitars) and perhaps better extension too. Any song containing electric guitars sounds very satisfying through the gold lions.


----------



## EinZweiDrei

is this pair of telefunkens genuine?
http://www.amazon.com/TELEFUNKEN-Elektroakustik-Matched-Pair-E88CC-TK/dp/B00VU7G1YQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452199317&sr=8-1&keywords=TELEFUNKEN+Elektroakustik+Matched+Pair+of+E88CC


----------



## vocalstrance

No, it says they are newly produced, so the are not the NOS ones that everyone wants. That being said, you won't know how they sound until you try them or find a review.
Good luck on the tube search.


----------



## wwmhf

einzweidrei said:


> the valhalla 2 can get pretty hot after a long session even with socket savers. its winter now so i guess thats fine but how do
> you guys deal with this during summer? will the heat cause significant damage to any of the components?


 
  
 I took the back panel off all the time so that heat dissipates easily from the amp. However, be cautious around it and make sure no one will be electrified.


----------



## EinZweiDrei

don't know if it's just me but it seems to take around 2 hours to start sounding good.
 seems to be completely smooth out after 5 hours or so with stock. and noticeably softer sounding.
 i'll see if the gold lions are to my liking when they come.
 has any1 tried lyr stock tubes with this amp? how do they compare.


----------



## EinZweiDrei

Genalex gold lions are very nice sounding.they're not as smeary sounding as stock and finally, finally i hear sub bass on hd650. There are some stuff i enjoy on stock a bit more but gold lions just does things better.


----------



## Mr.Tom

rameish said:


> So does this mean it won't damage the headphones over time? Could someone confirm or refute this? Please. I mean there are a lot of tech minded people here like tangent, morsel etc I mean the guys who designed the PPA should be able to confirm or refute this. Is Kurt W still active here. Sorry to ask but these were some of the people I respected back in 2001 when I first joined head-fi after headwize sorta hibernated. They also spoke their minds. Sorry but it's been years since I visited head-fi and maybe they are no longer active. What about hirsch he's a tube guy and is/was a mid is he still active?
> 
> BTW the beyerdynamic dt150 is a great pair of cans. I remember praising them to no end back in2001. Bit do I feel old suddenly...kekeke
> 
> I'm sure someone at schiit will respond soon. And explain it clearly. Let wait for that.


 

 My Ver 1.5 has been running my HD650 everyday for over 3 years with no ill effects. If theres any DC, it's very low.


----------



## Mr.Tom

spiral2012 said:


> Very interesting. I'm very new to this... How can a power cable affect SQ?


 

 It can not. There's a sucker born every second, and a high dollar power cord salesman not far behind.
  
 I use good quality medical grade shielded cords, around $10~$15. each.


----------



## Billheiser

mr.tom said:


> It can not. There's a sucker born every second, and a high dollar power cord salesman not far behind.
> 
> I use good quality medical grade shielded cords, around $10~$15. each.


 
 Why medical grade?  Why not stock power cords provided with the components?


----------



## Redcarmoose

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



. ** History I have owned 6 Nordost Valhalla power cables ($18k), 4 Virtual Dynamics Genesis power cables ($60k), Virtual Dynamics Judge ($50k). And also dozens of ElectraGlide cables, approx. $200,000 in cables. They weren't good enough so I modified these cables to take them a step higher. But they were still not even close to the entry level Coconut-Audio cable. This is because of the crystal formula inside my cables, that beats all the old cable designs. For example, Nordost uses silver plating that only changes the flavor of sound, with no performance improvement. I went from Nordost to stock cable and got the same performance, but different flavor. Coconut-Audio cables give true performance improvements in 3 dimensionality, microdetail and transparency, while sounding silky smooth, clear, deep and spacious. Both the bass and high frequencies improve, with greater realism in the midrange. Nothing is sacrificed. It becomes so real that you are inside the music, in another world. No other cables or components can do this, and I have used a lot of expensive gear in the past. This piezoelectric crystal formula is very powerful and easy to hear. Without this crystal formula, the sound becomes blurry and flat. Some people can't hear a difference from tweaks, but from my cables they hear dramatic differences. I have designed more than 30 power cables, each cable is a clear and obvious step up in performance. Eventually you reach the Artemis level at $1.5 Million, this is the best of the best. Introductory offer is only $25,000, it's so good that I want everyone to hear it. I cannot sell it for lower than $25,000. If you cannot afford it, win the Customer of the year award where the prize is a 30 years payment plan. ***************************************************************************** How it sounds Artemis is the fastest power cable ever developed, but without being cold or empty, it's silky smooth! Artemis is sharp like an arrow in the high frequencies, the bass is strong and textured, the midrange is open and airy with pinpoint accuracy, while being large and spacious. Even though it's so sharp and detailed, it sounds silky smooth and natural, while having high resolution that is full of information. Artemis is both liquid smooth and textured from top to bottom. It combines the best qualites together while sounding clean, natural and realistic. It's the best cable ever designed for source components. For perfect sound, use Artemis for all components, and Adria for the amplifier or power distributor. Preferably, all cables should be plugged directly into the wall outlet for the best sound. ***************************************************************************** I have no reviews of Artemis power cable yet, so I post the entry level cable reviews, with Artemis you will get 10 times greater sound than this. Reviews White Night power 2m Ok, I found out something interesting. And I thought I should post my first impression while I am waiting for the second White Night Power 2m cord from Patrick. With Shunyata Research Venom 3 remain plugged to HTPC, the bass wasn't as large and pounding as I expected with the White Night Power 2m connected to my right Focal speaker. There was more activity going on in the mid to highs with more details revealed and they are very crisp. I *removed* the Venom 3 power cord from HTPC. Put back my stock power cord to it. Not only did I get my bass back but the bass was larger and sturdier, bigger pounding bass. Bass resolution has increased and more detailed. It is fast and tight when demand. It has much bigger dynamics, from low to high frequency range. Even more so on the low end. The music sounds very crisp when demand. The BIG difference I am noticing in addition to larger, pounding bass is the resolving detail in the background. They come in clearly, and very crisp and transparent. The music sounds very spacious. Rather than just wide, it's deeper, more 3-dimensional. The musical instruments being played sound farther apart, and very distinct. There is a huge contrast. The mid range is handled so well and very effortless. All this with just one White Night Power 2m cord connected to my right speaker. Can't wait to receive the second cable for my left speaker. Don't need a subwoofer, the bass is large, fast, and detailed. Better sound quality than having a separate sub.. It's like I'm surrounded by music. The 3-dimensionality is impressive. And no, I'm only running two channel speakers. This cable is definitely in a different league. Shunyata Research Venom 3 is a nice cord and provides sweet treble sound but that's about it. It runs out of steam fast in the lows while the White Night Power 2m takes care of both ends of the spectrum with added, articulated crisp details and thunderous bass. cheez (USA) ************ White Night power 2m Let's say I'm very impressed with the sound. BASS The bass is incredible. It is surrounding. It is wide. It can be gentle when the recording asks. It can be mean, meaning there is great thrust / impact in the bass when asked to. There is more weight. It has very high resolution, details that in the low registers that I have not heard before I plugged this cable. Even on some songs that are bass-heavy the detail elements in the mid and upper registers pop out very, very clearly, and they show with crisp clarity. It sounds large, giving you wider soundstage. TREBLE Very accurate treble. It is sounding VERY crisp and crystal clear when asked to. There is strong detail, throughout the entire range of frequency. The BIGGEST thing I noticed is the music sounding spacious and so 3-dimensional. The sound in the musical elements in the foreground and background are so well separated. They are very distinct. Never sounded garbled up. Even the micro detail I can hear depth in them. This is crazy. It never sounded this good prior to this cable plugged to the speaker. I had Benchmark DAC-1 in the past but it was nowhere even remotely close to it in terms of space, depth / 3-dimensionality, bass impact, and high level of distinction of the musical elements. The high frequencies are handled effortlessly, there is no congestion and edginess. It is silky smooth. Mid range is equally as good as the rest of the spectrum in the frequencies. Very clear and crisp. Very pleasant to ears. The cable isn't biased to either lows or highs like with most other cable manufacturers. It takes care of both ends of the spectrum in the lowest to highest frequencies. Truly reference quality performer. All this with only one speaker plugged to White Night Power 2m cord as shown in video at the top of the page. I have White Night Power 5M version coming in my way. This will plug directly from wall outlet to the left speaker (currently the White Night Power 2m is plugged to right speaker). I will post more pics and post my impression once I receive it. goodolcheez (USA) ************ White Night power 5m I thought I should post my impression about the sound since both White Night Power 2M and 5M cables are installed. It took music to a new level. To put things in to short glossary terms, some songs sound mysterious. Some sound creepy. Some sound intriguing / explorative. Some songs sound happy. Each song showed its unique characters. With both cables plugged, the biggest benefit I am getting is the dynamic range. The distance between bass and treble is distant, miles apart. You can almost sense the distance and location of the bass and treble. Spaciousness is top notch, very 3-dimensional and distort-free. Not a slightest sign of edginess. The bass and treble is so far apart it's not even funny. The 5M cable does have even deeper soundstage with more micro details. It sounds extremely deep, more so than the 2M cable. The width of the soundstage is about neck and neck. Treble is clean and as clear as it can get. The 2M cable holds its own, just slightly less depth in soundstage. All range of songs sound awesome. Vocals are clean and silky. The treble notes are extremely clear like you are standing inside the waterfall. It varies from song to song. I guess you could say, very accurate and realistic. I would rate treble department in the scale 0-10 10. Bass is big and super tight. Very articulate pounding bass. There is plenty of impact / thrust. The bass sounds very "healthy", and completely opposite of muddiness or sponginess. I would rate bass 10. Basically I have deeper soundstage with more details with both cables plugged. There are no cons. cheez (USA) ************ HyperSpace power 4m First impression I just got your 4m powercord today. As I mentioned before, my system consists of an MBL 1611 and 1621 DAC/Transport, Shindo Monbrison Pre-amp, modified EAR 890 Amp and Von Schweikert VR4 gen iii HSE speakers. The other Hyperspace cord that I got last month is on loan to a friend, so the new one was the only Hyperspace cord in the whole system. The rest of the powercords and interconnects are currently Audience AU24 e's. I hooked the cord up to my MBL dac and was stunned motionless. I became paralyzed, sort of a dream paralysis perhaps, unable to move even after the CD ended. The sound was so expansive, there were no walls, every instrument and voice could be clearly followed while at the same time the entire blend of sound was unified into a single flow of music. Even at 90db + volume with a rock beat, the music was so relaxing that I was immediately placed into a trance, unaware of my body or the room around me, just pulled along by the music. I know this sounds gushing and overstated, but what it comes down is that I cannot ******* believe what this powercord does. It makes no rational sense that a single cord could transform the sound in this manner. It is a quantum leap past the limits of what I thought was possible; through the veil and over into another realm, another dimension, where music and sound are experienced more deeply, beyond ordinary perception. In the last year, I have used Virtual Dynamic Genesis, ASI Livelines, and Audience AU24 e powercords in my system. Those are all excellent powercords. But there is literally no comparison: the Hyperspace cord exists in a different realm. The difference is not the slightest bit subtle. It takes no effort to hear what the Hyperspace does. In fact, it is not possible to ignore the effect, not possible to ignore the allure, charm, and breath of the music. It isn't a matter of "rediscovering my CD collection." It is a matter of hearing music for the first time. I don't know what I was listening to on my CD's before, but is was skeletal and barren compared to what is emerging and flowing into the room now. I cannot fathom what it will do to add more of your cords, but I am hooked. I feel I could be happy with just this one cord, but I feel compelled to explore deeper into this sort of space. I have been searching for this sort of experience from my stereo for the last 25 years.... who would have guessed that a powercord would be the missing link. I am aware that my speakers are a relative weak point in my current system. Prior to coming across the Hyperspace cord, I had been itching to upgrade the speakers. While I know that I will probably eventually do so, I no longer feel any urgency. It is amazing what these speakers, which are 1/10th the the cost of the MBL source components, are able to do when given a pure and clear signal. And it is amazing what this powercord can contribute to the performance of DAC that retails for more than $25k. Køt Biehl (USA) Second impression I have bought so many powercords and interconnects based on "critical audition" where I had to listen very carefully to hear what it was doing. Prior to this, every system upgrade, including major component upgrades, have been slight to moderate changes along a continuum. This is a quantum jump of a different sort. Instead of trudging along a continuum of gradual improvements in resolution and musicality, the effect of the Hyperspace is exactly as the name implies - it transports the experience of sound to another realm, a place that is not bound by the limits of three or even four dimensions. I do not know how to describe it more clearly as I have no prior experience to compare it to. For example, as much as I love my Shindo Monbrison Pre-amp, the effect of the hyperspace hands down trumps the benefit of the Shindo. If I had to choose, I would trade my Monbrison for a Hyperspace cord without a moments hesitation. The same goes for my MBL DAC and transport. The Hyperspace is not only "that good", it is beyond comparison. The effect of the hyperspace is immediate - it literally grabs you by the balls and hold you still until the music is over. Actually, even beyond the end of the music as I find myself continuing in an altered state of mind/body for a while afterwards. I don't know yet how long the effect lasts as my girlfriend, who had been calling me for dinner for the over an hour, had to come grab my arm and pull me out of the chair. No one is going to believe any of this unless they take the leap and try it.





billheiser said:


> Why medical grade?  Why not stock power cords provided with the components?




Because that's why!


----------



## Mr.Tom

billheiser said:


> Why medical grade?  Why not stock power cords provided with the components?


 

 Because Medical grade is the cheapest way to get a fully shielded power cable.


----------



## EinZweiDrei

are the 6N6P tubes rollable?


----------



## wwmhf

einzweidrei said:


> are the 6N6P tubes rollable?


 
 Of course, but not many varieties per my limited knowledge about 6N6P


----------



## wwmhf

rusty143 said:


> I am doing all of my listening, at this point, with the stock tubes so I can a good sense of the amp and any changes it may go through. I have a few types of 6DJ8 tubes that I will try once I feel it is fully broken in (Amperex Bugle Boys, PQs, Telefunkens, Mullards). I put 7 hours on the amp last night and will continue with more break in and listening today.


 
  
 I tried some Bugle Boys (logo in white paint) and 6N1P, and my recent favorite are 6N1Ps with Beyer T1.


----------



## EinZweiDrei

where do you guys get your tubes from? its hard to tell if a online dealer is trustworthy or not.


----------



## wwmhf

einzweidrei said:


> where do you guys get your tubes from? its hard to tell if a online dealer is trustworthy or not.


 
  
 I got mine for my Valhalla 2 mostly from Russia through Ebay


----------



## monkuboy

It's probably been asked and answered already but instead of searching perhaps someone can provide a quick answer.
  
 Is there any risk in stacking the Valhalla 2 on top of a Bifrost?  I wouldn't think so, as the Bifrost doesn't get that warm, but I thought I'd ask here.  Also, is the spacing enough with the feet that come with the units or would more spacing between them be better?


----------



## ETanner

monkuboy said:


> It's probably been asked and answered already but instead of searching perhaps someone can provide a quick answer.
> 
> Is there any risk in stacking the Valhalla 2 on top of a Bifrost?  I wouldn't think so, as the Bifrost doesn't get that warm, but I thought I'd ask here.  Also, is the spacing enough with the feet that come with the units or would more spacing between them be better?



You mean something like this?

It is designed for such convenience. Part of the Schiit glamour for me.


----------



## monkuboy

etanner said:


> You mean something like this?
> 
> It is designed for such convenience. Part of the Schiit glamour for me.


 
  
 Yes, exactly like that.  Thanks!


----------



## Mr.Tom

monkuboy said:


> It's probably been asked and answered already but instead of searching perhaps someone can provide a quick answer.
> 
> Is there any risk in stacking the Valhalla 2 on top of a Bifrost?  I wouldn't think so, as the Bifrost doesn't get that warm, but I thought I'd ask here.  Also, is the spacing enough with the feet that come with the units or would more spacing between them be better?


 

 Mine have been stacked for over three years. If you buy the schiit cables, theres no other way to use them.


----------



## wwmhf

monkuboy said:


> It's probably been asked and answered already but instead of searching perhaps someone can provide a quick answer.
> 
> Is there any risk in stacking the Valhalla 2 on top of a Bifrost?  I wouldn't think so, as the Bifrost doesn't get that warm, but I thought I'd ask here.  Also, is the spacing enough with the feet that come with the units or would more spacing between them be better?


 
  
 Since there are not holes at the bottom of the case of Valhalla 2, the heat generated by the equipment below cannot easily get into Valhalla 2. Hence, I think it is OK to stack the Valhalla 2 on top of a Bifrost.


----------



## EinZweiDrei

can stock 6n6p be rolled to this?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/6N6P-I-MATCHED-PAIR-80s-NOVOSIBIRSK-6N6P-i-GOLD-GRID-TUBES-ECC99-E182CC-6N6P-/351628758661?hash=item51deb50e85:g:nGIAAOSwN81WEm0F


----------



## DeadHead57

Currently I am running a Audio Engine D1 dac into a Headroom micro amp to power my HD600's. I have been happy with the results thus far but the micro amp is known to have a narrow sound stage. I should be receiving my Valhalla in a couple of days and am extremely excited knowing this will be a huge upgrade. My question is going forward would the biggest sound enhancements come from trying new tubes or should I first look at changing Dacs? If I go the Dac route how big a difference is there between the Modi 2 and the Bifrost?


----------



## RoninChaos

nick-s-f said:


> Recent new valhalla 2 owner here. Been using it with HD600's and the bass coming from the stock tubes is very satisfying (coming from magni 2 uber). Every song on this setup feels like it has proper weight, and..feeling (one might say emotive).
> 
> If anything, they are a _tiny_ bit bright. Not sure if I would call it boomy. I would say meaty..or correct amount of bass.
> 
> ...




Are you running it in low or high gain?


----------



## DeadHead57

I am running on high gain, I have nice black background an hearing no grain.


----------



## Nick-s-f

roninchaos said:


> Are you running it in low or high gain?


 
 Always on high gain when using the HD600 (just does not get enough volume on low). The others (HD598, HP50) are great on low gain


----------



## wwmhf

einzweidrei said:


> can stock 6n6p be rolled to this?
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/6N6P-I-MATCHED-PAIR-80s-NOVOSIBIRSK-6N6P-i-GOLD-GRID-TUBES-ECC99-E182CC-6N6P-/351628758661?hash=item51deb50e85:g:nGIAAOSwN81WEm0F


 
  
 If I remember it correctly, the stock 6n6p can be rolled to 6n6p-ir, but 6n6p-ir has a shorter life time.


----------



## masterfuu

My valhalla 2 arriving Friday. What are smoothest sounding tubey sounding tubes with good mid range and bass for valhalla2 with hd650?


----------



## jupiterianvibe

Is this a good option for to step in tube amp territory? I recently bought an entry level xDuoo TA-03 from Massdrop, but it blew as soon as I plugged it into power. Now I am thinking to order this as my first tube amp. My current rig consists of a Sennheiser HD800 with CH800S cable upgrade driven by a Sennheiser HDVA600. I just want to try smth different and would like to have flexibility to get different sounds by changing tubes. Can anybody driving HD800s with this amp share his / her thoughts?


----------



## sheldaze

jupiterianvibe said:


> Is this a good option for to step in tube amp territory? I recently bought an entry level xDuoo TA-03 from Massdrop, but it blew as soon as I plugged it into power. Now I am thinking to order this as my first tube amp. My current rig consists of a Sennheiser HD800 with CH800S cable upgrade driven by a Sennheiser HDVA600. I just want to try smth different and would like to have flexibility to get different sounds by changing tubes. Can anybody driving HD800s with this amp share his / her thoughts?


 
 I can share that it simply sounds fantastic! I am using this and a solid-state like yourself to compare. I just got the Valhalla 2, so I do not have final thoughts - both it and my solid-state drive the HD800/HD800S very well.
  
 My only...hmmm...unhappiness is when I was comparing it to the solid-state, there was definitely a hum in the Valhalla 2. I had it on high gain, which should be suitable for the 300 ohm headphones. But I found the hum to make it impossible to compare. I had to use the lower gain, which still gives me plenty of volume. I have a second tube amplifier on the way, which I have read does not use AC to warm the tubes and should not have hum, regardless of gain level. I'll let you know more on that next week, if you care to hear?


----------



## jupiterianvibe

Yes, that would be great. Please share your thoughts and details on your upcoming mp as well. Your humming comment made me a bit concerned about valhalla. It would really help me to hear what difference a dc powered amp wil have against valhalla.

Thanks.


----------



## vocalstrance

I have the HD800 and Valhalla2, and never get hum from it. The V2 drives the HD800 with authority, and a lovely touch of warmth.


----------



## sheldaze

vocalstrance said:


> I have the HD800 and Valhalla2, and never get hum from it. The V2 drives the HD800 with authority, and a lovely touch of warmth.


 
 It definitely drives these with authority.
  
 But I noticed a hum, when trying to A/B between it against my other amplifier - during the quiet passages, I simply could not concentrate on the music. I also noticed it when trying to compare it against the Vali 2, which has no issue though it uses a similar architecture to warm the tube. Do you have any suggestions as to what might be the source of the hum? For me, simply using the lower gain removed the hum issue for me.


----------



## notfitforpublic

Valhalla 2 with Senn HD600's. No hum at all on high gain till the volume knob hits around 3. which would be ear blowing loud.


----------



## sheldaze

notfitforpublic said:


> Valhalla 2 with Senn HD600's. No hum at all on high gain till the volume knob hits around 3. which would be ear blowing loud.


 
 I listen at very low volume, hence the reason that the low gain does not hinder me.
 I've been reading in other threads that perhaps the tubes will settle down? I am certainly looking for suggestions.


----------



## notfitforpublic

sheldaze said:


> I listen at very low volume, hence the reason that the low gain does not hinder me.
> I've been reading in other threads that perhaps the tubes will settle down? I am certainly looking for suggestions.


 

 Just saw that you got the Valhalla 3 hours ago or so? Yes, I'd give the amp and tubes time to settle in. I ran mine for a few days before regular use and definitely noticed an improvement from initial startup. I have found tubes need some break in before reaching their potential. Also, make sure you're letting the Valhalla warm up before critical listening. It might be excessive, but I let mine run for 30 mins or more before listening. Like, its warm to the touch before I pug in my headphones.


----------



## sheldaze

notfitforpublic said:


> Just saw that you got the Valhalla 3 hours ago or so? Yes, I'd give the amp and tubes time to settle in. I ran mine for a few days before regular use and definitely noticed an improvement from initial startup. I have found tubes need some break in before reaching their potential. Also, make sure you're letting the Valhalla warm up before critical listening. It might be excessive, but I let mine run for 30 mins or more before listening. Like, its warm to the touch before I pug in my headphones.


 
 Ordered on January 21 but held up on a snow storm, so more like January 28 through today - I've had it now about a week. 30 minutes does not sound so bad at all 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 And I'll give it a few more weeks then!


----------



## notfitforpublic

sheldaze said:


> Ordered on January 21 but held up on a snow storm, so more like January 28 through today - I've had it now about a week. 30 minutes does not sound so bad at all
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Also email Schiit, great service from them. Do you have any other tubes you can swap out? You may have just got some bad tubes. If there is something wrong, that could be the culprit. Then its just a matter of getting them swapped out by Schiit.


----------



## sheldaze

notfitforpublic said:


> Also email Schiit, great service from them. Do you have any other tubes you can swap out? You may have just got some bad tubes. If there is something wrong, that could be the culprit. Then its just a matter of getting them swapped out by Schiit.


 
 Nope - no other tubes, but that is enough incentive for me. I'd like to hear some other tubes, so just ordered a set.
 If they sound fine, I will contact Schiit immediately!
  
 And I'll be enjoying the set I currently have over the next week


----------



## Magick Man

That feeling you get when you order a piece of gear and it arrives broken.  This is the 2nd time this has happened to me with Schiit (and my 3rd DoA from them), I'm starting to think the gods are telling me something.


----------



## DeadHead57

Same setup here with HD600 and Valhalla 2 on high gain. No hum at all, just sweet music and clean back ground.


----------



## sheldaze

magick man said:


> That feeling you get when you order a piece of gear and it arrives broken.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Perhaps the Black Valhalla are having trouble making it to the East Coast 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Sorry to see your picture though...


----------



## GumbyDammit223

Just found this thread.  I've had my Val 2 / Bifrost combo for about a month now connected to my computer via USB and my head via a pair of Senn HD700's.  I'm still tweaking my computer trying to optimize my audio setup, but I have to say I LOVE the amp and headphones!  Although I only have maybe a dozen or so hours on the amp so far, I am very thoroughly impressed.  Time will tell if I get into tube rolling, but as other posters have said, I'm kicking back and enjoying the music!!


----------



## masterfuu

Hd650 with valhalla2 beautiful listening experience. Hd650 are at a new level and bass is amazing now. OTL power baby. Stock tubes but ordered Russian tubes other night will keep you guys posted. Supposed to be one of best tubes for sennheiser.


----------



## sheldaze

masterfuu said:


> Hd650 with valhalla2 beautiful listening experience. Hd650 are at a new level and bass is amazing now. OTL power baby. Stock tubes but ordered Russian tubes other night will keep you guys posted. Supposed to be one of best tubes for sennheiser.


 
 Same tubes I ordered - to get a different sound and validate a theory, per what people here have recommended.


----------



## masterfuu

sheldaze said:


> Same tubes I ordered - to get a different sound and validate a theory, per what people here have recommended.


 

 I got the matched pair of E88CC Voskhod Rocket NOS
 Read great things about this tube for Valhalla2 and HD650s. Looking forward to try them out in a week or two when they arrive.


----------



## Magick Man

magick man said:


> That feeling you get when you order a piece of gear and it arrives broken.  This is the 2nd time this has happened to me with Schiit (and my 3rd DoA from them), I'm starting to think the gods are telling me something.




Turns out they want me to send it in *for repair*... What??  It's a new amp.


----------



## masterfuu

magick man said:


> Turns out they want me to send it in *for repair*... What??  It's a new amp.




Looks like you're just having some bad luck. Let them repair it amp is awesome really worth the hassle if everything works out in the end.


----------



## DeadHead57

I couldn't agree more, it is quite a bargain for the price!


----------



## RoninChaos

magick man said:


> Turns out they want me to send it in *for repair*... What??  It's a new amp.


 why would they give you a new amp when they can just swap out the switch?


----------



## Magick Man

roninchaos said:


> magick man said:
> 
> 
> > Turns out they want me to send it in *for repair*... What??  It's a new amp.
> ...




Because it's *new*?  It should have arrived in working order, but when it didn't they should have immediately replaced it.


----------



## Mr Rick

magick man said:


> Because it's *new*?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Is it a black B-stock?  Another black Valhalla would be hard to come by.


----------



## Magick Man

mr rick said:


> magick man said:
> 
> 
> > Because it's *new*?  It should have arrived in working order, but when it didn't they should have immediately replaced it.
> ...




Seems to be rather shortsighted to not have enough extra stock to cover such things. Most manufacturers do.


----------



## DeadHead57

How are the Telefunken black diamond ECC88? I know they are probably not even close to the NOS tubes but are they a significant upgrade to be used with Sennheiser HD 600's? They can be had for about $100 for a pair.


----------



## EinZweiDrei

Are there any tubes like the gold lions but more dynamic?


----------



## X1XNobleX1X

Hello!
  
 Looking into purchasing a Valhalla 2 myself. 
  
  
 Using Sennheiser HD800s.
  
  
  
 Just looking through comments on this forum there isn't any definitive answer what tubes are good for the HD800.
  
  
  
  
  
 What would be good tubes to role, for popular new music? As this is what I mostly listen to.


----------



## GrouchoMarx1933

I just placed an order for a Valhalla 2. Currently using a Vali 2 and it sounds great with all my headphones, but I wanted that extra power and resolution for my HD600 and with an eye toward an eventual purchase of an HD800/S. I've got a pair of socket savers on order (I doubt I'll do much rolling on the rear tubes) and am eyeing some NOS tubes. I have a small collection of single tubes for my Vali 2, but no matched pairs.


----------



## mysticstryk

^ Just bought a Valhalla 2, upgrading from a Vali 2 as well.
  
 Building my system around my hd650. Now just need to replace my Modi with a 4490 or Bimby.


----------



## GrouchoMarx1933

I'm going to keep my Vali 2 for any headphones that don't synergize well with the Valhalla 2. The Vali 2 is a damn fine amp on its own, I just wanted something to bring the best out of my Senns.


----------



## mysticstryk

merrick said:


> I'm going to keep my Vali 2 for any headphones that don't synergize well with the Valhalla 2. The Vali 2 is a damn fine amp on its own, I just wanted something to bring the best out of my Senns.


 
  
 Same here, though I'm returning my Vali 2.  I might end up getting a cheap used Magni in the sale forum if any of my headphones don't pair well.


----------



## GrouchoMarx1933

I already have a small collection of single tubes for use with the Vali 2, and it has such a small footprint that I don't mind keeping it to the side. At this point my most used headphones are the HD600s by far, and then the Oppo PM-3. Until I know how the Valhalla will sound with the PM-3, the Vali 2 isn't going anywhere. And if the PM-3 sounds better with the Valhalla, the Vali 2 can become my transportable amp to take to work or to friend's houses, etc.


----------



## GrouchoMarx1933

My Valhalla arrived today and I've been putting it through its paces. Firstly, I should say that hearing the Valhalla makes me appreciate the Vali 2 even more, because it gets so much right in such a small and inexpensive package.
  
 That being said, the Valhalla 2 beats the pants off the Vali 2 in every way. The soundstage feels not just wider, but better realized over all, imparting a sense of space between instruments that adds a pleasant airiness to any recording I've fed into it. It feels more like real instruments playing in a real space. The amp is also incredibly crisp and precise. Absolutely none of the sluggishness that you sometimes get with tube implementations. However, the crispness does not translate to harshness like one may find with some solid state amps. It makes listening to music a very relaxing, easy, cheerful experience.
  
 Given that my main headphones are the HD600, this may be my endgame amp. I'm sure there are better amps out there, but the price to performance ratio on the Valhalla 2 is out of this world, as long as you have headphones that play nice with it.


----------



## X1XNobleX1X

What is the actual difference between the Valhalla 1 and 2? 
  
  
 Is there any quality difference between the 1 and 2? I listened to the Valhalla 1 today and it was amazing.


----------



## Nick-s-f

x1xnoblex1x said:


> What is the actual difference between the Valhalla 1 and 2?
> 
> 
> Is there any quality difference between the 1 and 2? I listened to the Valhalla 1 today and it was amazing.


 
    The V2 has a high/low gain switch that lowers the output impedance and allows a wider range of headphones to be used with it. The early V1's did not allow tube rolling (there are later revisions of the V1 that do). It also has RCA outs for hooking up speakers.

    You'll need to find a used V1 (I do not believe its possible to buy new). However, the V2 should be worth the money over the V1 just for its versatility. It'll drive probably 90% of headphones on the planet just fine, just not most orthos.

    Can't comment on sound, only heard/own the V2.


----------



## DeadHead57

The Valhalla 2 also adds pre-amp out in case you choose to use it with powered speakers. I do not have experience with version 1 but version 2 pairs extremely well with the Sennheiser HD600's for what it's worth.


----------



## X1XNobleX1X

Hello everyone,
  
 I'm interested in purchasing a pair of Bugle Boy tubes.
  
  Can anyone please tell me what the actual differences are between these 5 different pairs?
  
http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/m.html?_odkw=&_ssn=mercedesman6572&_armrs=1&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2046732.m570.l1313.TR2.TRC1.A0.H0.Xecc88+bugl.TRS0&_nkw=ecc88+bugle&_sacat=0
  
  
 Ranging from $40 USD to $90 USD.
  
  
 Just wondering, if there is any worthwhile sound/quality differences between the five.
  
  
 There are also these:
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2047675.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.XAMPEREX+BUGLE+BOY+6DJ8+ECC88.TRS0&_nkw=AMPEREX+BUGLE+BOY+6DJ8+ECC88&_sacat=0&rmvSB=true
  
 What would someone recommend to be a reasonable costing tube from the link above.
  
  
 The only difference I see is the silkscreen on the front and seem to better matching the more you pay although, I have no idea what I'm talking about


----------



## h2rulz

merrick said:


> My Valhalla arrived today and I've been putting it through its paces. Firstly, I should say that hearing the Valhalla makes me appreciate the Vali 2 even more, because it gets so much right in such a small and inexpensive package.
> 
> That being said, the Valhalla 2 beats the pants off the Vali 2 in every way. The soundstage feels not just wider, but better realized over all, imparting a sense of space between instruments that adds a pleasant airiness to any recording I've fed into it. It feels more like real instruments playing in a real space. The amp is also incredibly crisp and precise. Absolutely none of the sluggishness that you sometimes get with tube implementations. However, the crispness does not translate to harshness like one may find with some solid state amps. It makes listening to music a very relaxing, easy, cheerful experience.
> 
> Given that my main headphones are the HD600, this may be my endgame amp. I'm sure there are better amps out there, but the price to performance ratio on the Valhalla 2 is out of this world, as long as you have headphones that play nice with it.




Looks like there's a lot people in the same boat. I agree with everything you said, comparing the two amps.
I love the improvements Valhalla brings to my HD 650 and X2 over Vali 2. I can also say this is my end game amp. Once I get the HD 800/800s and multibit Bifrost, then it will be end game period. 

But who knows; this hobby can do strange things to you


----------



## rnros

> Originally Posted by *Merrick* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> It feels more like real instruments playing in a real space. The amp is also incredibly crisp and precise.
> 
> ...the price to performance ratio on the Valhalla 2 is out of this world, as long as you have headphones that play nice with it.


 
 +1 Love the VAHL2. That's a good description, and it sounds like that was right out of the box. Probably sounding better now with some burn time.
  
 I have 300 Ohm Senns, but I also use it with IEMs and low Ohm headphones. I just use an Etymotic 70 Ohm adapter (70 or 75?). Works fine.


----------



## rnros

Forgot to mention: I use it with the GumbyMB. Amazing.


----------



## EinZweiDrei

Are there tubes like the gold lions but with more dynamic? Strangely I like them more than the 68 orange globes, atleast for the hd6xx headphones.


----------



## Pete Schiller

I'm a noob. As a teenager (30+ years ago) I was into audio equipment and loved plopping myself down in my comfy chair at an ideal distance from my stereo speakers or with my headphones on, and being immersed in music. I haven't done that in a long time. I recently found my vinyl LPs that I thought had been lost during one of many moves. That led me to research turntables and ultimately to this forum. Today I ordered a Pro-ject Debut Carbon DC turntable with an Ortofon 2M Red cartridge and I also ordered a pair of Sennheiser HD600s. I've read all 47 pages of this thread and done a bunch of research on phono stages and headphone amps. It sounds like the Valhalla 2 would be an ideal match for the HD600s that I have coming. I'm almost ready to order a Valhalla 2.
  
 I have a Denon PMA-737 pre-main amplifier, purchased in 1985, which has a phono input, switchable between MM and MC. From what little info I can find regarding the PMA-737, it sounds like it was respectable piece of equipment and had a decent phono stage. Something is blown in the output amplifier section though. Is there any reason why I can't or shouldn't input my new Pro-ject TT into the PMA, then have the PMA Tape 1 line-out (record) going into the Valhalla 2 line-in? 
  
 If that's okay, then I assume I should also be able run a variety of sources (CD player, MacBook, iPhone, and the TT) into the PMA, using it not only as my phono stage, but also as a switching device? I could then run the Tape 2 line-out into one of the inputs of an HK AVR-500 receiver that I have when I would rather power speakers instead listening to the HD600s?
  
 Seeing that I've already spent $359 on the TT and $339 on the HD600s today, is what I've described above a reasonable use of the equipment that I have already? Assuming that the PMA-737 phono stage is decent, what are the disadvantages to this setup?


----------



## Billheiser

pete schiller said:


> I'm a noob. As a teenager (30+ years ago) I was into audio equipment and loved plopping myself down in my comfy chair at an ideal distance from my stereo speakers or with my headphones on, and being immersed in music. I haven't done that in a long time. I recently found my vinyl LPs that I thought had been lost during one of many moves. That led me to research turntables and ultimately to this forum. Today I ordered a Pro-ject Debut Carbon DC turntable with an Ortofon 2M Red cartridge and I also ordered a pair of Sennheiser HD600s. I've read all 47 pages of this thread and done a bunch of research on phono stages and headphone amps. It sounds like the Valhalla 2 would be an ideal match for the HD600s that I have coming. I'm almost ready to order a Valhalla 2.
> 
> I have a Denon PMA-737 pre-main amplifier, purchased in 1985, which has a phono input, switchable between MM and MC. From what little info I can find regarding the PMA-737, it sounds like it was respectable piece of equipment and had a decent phono stage. Something is blown in the output amplifier section though. Is there any reason why I can't or shouldn't input my new Pro-ject TT into the PMA, then have the PMA Tape 1 line-out (record) going into the Valhalla 2 line-in?
> 
> ...



That should work fine


----------



## potatography

Hi folks,
  
 I have just recently upgraded to a HD800S, so I thought my Vali 1 might not unlock its true potential.
  
 Does anyone have any experience comparing Schiit Vali 1 vs Valhalla 2?


----------



## fabiobueno

potatography said:


> Hi folks,
> 
> I have just recently upgraded to a HD800S, so I thought my Vali 1 might not unlock its true potential.
> 
> Does anyone have any experience comparing Schiit Vali 1 vs Valhalla 2?



I used the HD800 for some months with the Vali and then bought the Valhalla 2. Very worth upgrade IMO. Valhalla 2 have more details, clarity and soundstage.


----------



## potatography

fabiobueno said:


> I used the HD800 for some months with the Vali and then bought the Valhalla 2. Very worth upgrade IMO. Valhalla 2 have more details, clarity and soundstage.


 
 Was it better by a huge margin?
  
 May I know what's your current HD800 setup?


----------



## rnros

einzweidrei said:


> Are there tubes like the gold lions but with more dynamic? Strangely I like them more than the 68 orange globes, atleast for the hd6xx headphones.


 

 Look to the Russian tubes. Gold Lion is made in Russia, you can see similarities in the internal construction and glass tube with the '67-74 6N23Ps.
 For 6DJ8/6922s look to the 6N23Ps, Reflektor and Voskhod. With VALH2 you can also use 6N1Ps, another excellent tube.


----------



## fabiobueno

potatography said:


> Was it better by a huge margin?
> 
> May I know what's your current HD800 setup?


 
  
 I just gave a listen at the Vali to refresh my memories, and the answer is... no. Of course, this is very subjective, but my opinion is that, although the V2 is better, the difference is not that huge.
  
 My setup is some Dell Inspiron notebook > Wyrd > Gungnir (DS) > Valhalla 2 > HD800.


----------



## potatography

fabiobueno said:


> I just gave a listen at the Vali to refresh my memories, and the answer is... no. Of course, this is very subjective, but my opinion is that, although the V2 is better, the difference is not that huge.
> 
> My setup is some Dell Inspiron notebook > Wyrd > Gungnir (DS) > Valhalla 2 > HD800.


 
 Alright thanks for your input man, appreciate it.
  
 I have been reading reviews about the huge jump in sound quality from Magni/Vali to Valhalla 2, so I'm not too sure of it now. I'll probably bring my gear down to a local store, audition the Valhalla 2 and decide for myself.
  
 My current setup if anyone is interested:
  
 Foobar2k WASAPI > Modi 2 U > Vali > HD800S


----------



## h2rulz

potatography said:


> Alright thanks for your input man, appreciate it.
> 
> I have been reading reviews about the huge jump in sound quality from Magni/Vali to Valhalla 2, so I'm not too sure of it now. I'll probably bring my gear down to a local store, audition the Valhalla 2 and decide for myself.
> 
> ...


 

 Yes, it's best to judge for yourself.
 Personally, the difference in soundstage and improved lows I heard was enough to convince me to sell my Vali 2 and get the Valhalla 2.
  
 But, WOW, I wish I had a local store to judge Schiit gear 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




 That sure would have saved a lot of time and money going through the Vali, Vali 2, and the multiple single tubes I got for the Vali 2.


----------



## yangian

Anyone listened to 600 and 598/se from Valhalla 2? I think V2 drive 598se much better than 600? What do you think?


----------



## EinZweiDrei

Why would you want to drive a hd598 out of valhalla 2. Its made specfically for high impendence headphones.


----------



## yangian

einzweidrei said:


> Why would you want to drive a hd598 out of valhalla 2. Its made specfically for high impendence headphones.


 
 Yes, I'm wrong. V2 is not good for 598. At first listening, it's not bad. More listening and comparison with a SS amp., it's clear it's not good for 598.


----------



## DeadHead57

Did you try it on low gain, that would make a difference! I tried my Hd595's on my V2 and though they do not compare to my hd600's they still sound better on the V2 than they do on my solid state amp.


----------



## yangian

deadhead57 said:


> Did you try it on low gain, that would make a difference!


 
 Yeah, I did at low gain. Not that good and actually I didn't feel very obvious difference between high and low gain. Somehow 598 feel lifeless on it, especially compared to SS amp.


----------



## X1XNobleX1X

Finally received my 1961 Bugle Boys, with me luck with changing them over.


----------



## wwmhf

einzweidrei said:


> Why would you want to drive a hd598 out of valhalla 2. Its made specfically for high impendence headphones.


 
  
 Good question and good comment.


----------



## DeadHead57

Everyone talks about the Beyers and the Sennheiser hd600, hd650 & hd800. I am curious as to how the V2 behaves with the hd700? At 150 ohms is it not a good candidate? Just asking for future reference.


----------



## yangian

deadhead57 said:


> Everyone talks about the Beyers and the Sennheiser hd600, hd650 & hd800. I am curious as to how the V2 behaves with the hd700? At 150 ohms is it not a good candidate? Just asking for future reference.


 
 Actually I found V2 works amazingly for IE800!


----------



## EinZweiDrei

I didnt like it with k701 and k7xx. It was ok with 400i. But its great with hd600 and hd650.


----------



## Klots

Will receive mine in the end of this week. At the moment I am listening my HD800 straight from M-dac. I hope it gives me some upgrade to the sound. Also bought 6N1P Novosibirsk tubes.


----------



## cyberridz

Hi,
  
 Has anyone ever compared the Valhalla 2 with the Asgard 2? Wondering if the Asgard 2 is as good as the Valhalla 2 with a variety of headphones (low and high impedance)? I have an Asgard 2 and the sound is quite warm and have enjoyed listening to it for a while now. Wondering if the Valhalla 2 is worth it as a future upgrade?
  
 Thanks.


----------



## GumbyDammit223

cyberridz said:


> Hi,
> 
> Has anyone ever compared the Valhalla 2 with the Asgard 2? Wondering if the Asgard 2 is as good as the Valhalla 2 with a variety of headphones (low and high impedance)? I have an Asgard 2 and the sound is quite warm and have enjoyed listening to it for a while now. Wondering if the Valhalla 2 is worth it as a future upgrade?
> 
> Thanks.


 

 Having just got into this arena myself, I would think the Valhalla 2 would give you a little more flexibility in tailoring the sound to your specific headphones by changing the tubes.  Other than the spec differences between the two boxes I would say if you're happy with your Asgard, there's no reason to spend the money.  Yes, I own a Valhalla 2 / Bifrost combo which drives my HD700's and am completely happy with the performance.  My opinion anyway!


----------



## RickB

cyberridz said:


> Hi,
> 
> Has anyone ever compared the Valhalla 2 with the Asgard 2? Wondering if the Asgard 2 is as good as the Valhalla 2 with a variety of headphones (low and high impedance)? I have an Asgard 2 and the sound is quite warm and have enjoyed listening to it for a while now. Wondering if the Valhalla 2 is worth it as a future upgrade?
> 
> Thanks.


 

 With my HD600, the Asgard 2 is noticeably more edgy in the treble than the Valhalla 2. That said, if I had never heard the Valhalla, I would've been very happy with the Asgard for a long time. And if I had to get rid of the V2, I could get used to again and happy with the sound of the A2.


----------



## Pete Schiller

I've been trying to figure out how to create a signature block, then just saw that I need to post at least five times before that feature is available to me. Anyway, after not being an audiophile fanatic for the past 30 years, I purchased/did all of the following within the last six weeks:
  
 Mac Mini 1.4MHz, 4GB RAM, 500GB HD -> iTunes -> BitPerfect -> Bifrost MB -> Schiit SYS -> Valhalla 2 (stock tubes) -> Sennheiser HD 600
 Pro-Ject Debut Carbon DC turntable with Ortofon 2M Red cartridge -> Schiit Mani -> Schiit SYS -> etc.
 Blue Jeans LC-1 cables
 CDs re-imported into iTunes as Apple Lossless files
  
 I'm kind of blown away by how well it all sounds. I haven't listened to other headphones, amps, DACs, etc., so I don't have a basis for comparison, but for anyone just getting into this hobby, I'm sure you could do far worse than to start with the components that I did. I researched the hell out of everything I purchased (as I do with most things), most of that spending hours upon hours of reading on Head-Fi. I'm hearing things in music that I had no idea were there previously. I was running out of space on my MacBook Pro (256GB SSD), so I bought the Mac Mini to be a dedicated iTunes/BitPerfect server, which I'm running headless with my iPhone as the remote. Even with a 512MB RAM buffer for BitPerfect, it only uses about 2GB of RAM. I hemmed and hawed about getting a Mac Mini with more RAM, but I think I made the right decision getting the most basic one for $449 (from B&H Photo). I really haven't listened to vinyl all that much yet, because the digital to analog system just sounds so amazing.


----------



## bizkid

How does the Valhalla 2 pair with the 250 Ohm Beyers? For example the DT1770, T90 or a maybe future DT1880?


----------



## Carlosp

How do you like the Bugle Boy's? I have a pair of Sennheiser HD800 with no mods and I just ordered a Valhalla 2 hoping it will help with the treble spikes. Any tubes you can recommend?


----------



## Carlosp

x1xnoblex1x said:


> Finally received my 1961 Bugle Boys, with me luck with changing them over.


 
  
 How do you like the Bugle Boy's? I have a pair of Sennheiser HD800 with no mods and I just ordered a Valhalla 2 hoping it will help with the treble spikes. Any tubes you can recommend?


----------



## Carlosp

cyberridz said:


> Hi,
> 
> Has anyone ever compared the Valhalla 2 with the Asgard 2? Wondering if the Asgard 2 is as good as the Valhalla 2 with a variety of headphones (low and high impedance)? I have an Asgard 2 and the sound is quite warm and have enjoyed listening to it for a while now. Wondering if the Valhalla 2 is worth it as a future upgrade?
> 
> Thanks.


 
 I currently have an Asgard 2 and should be receiving a Valhalla 2 by the end of the week, so I will share my thoughts. I will be using them with Sennheiser HD800 and HD800S so I can try to figure out which combination I like best. I have only heard the Asgard 2 with the Sennheiser HD800 and it sounds really good, but the treble spikes are a little bit too much sometimes.


----------



## X1XNobleX1X

carlosp said:


> How do you like the Bugle Boy's? I have a pair of Sennheiser HD800 with no mods and I just ordered a Valhalla 2 hoping it will help with the treble spikes. Any tubes you can recommend?


 
 Hello Carlosp,
  
  
 I'm probably not the best person to ask, but what I can tell you is it's 100% worth the upgrade.
  
 What I knew immediately, was the separation in instruments was much,  much better.
 Also, the highs aren't as ear piercing as before ( but this might be because I'm getting used to the headphones). 
  
  
 Paid only $30 for them, would recommend them any day of the week.
  
 I'v only tried the Bugle Boys, so I can't really recommend anything else.


----------



## Lemar

I've been trying to decide on a DAC to pair with my Valhalla 2/HD650. Seems that a lot of people just get the Bifrost to complete the stack but is it the best pairing insofar as performance is concerned?


----------



## WilCox

lemar said:


> I've been trying to decide on a DAC to pair with my Valhalla 2/HD650. Seems that a lot of people just get the Bifrost to complete the stack but is it the best pairing insofar as performance is concerned?


 
  
 It's definitely a matter of personal preference regarding which DAC is the best match for HD650/Valhalla 2, but for me, I can't think of a better match than the Bifrost multibit.  A wonderful synergy with HD6XX and HD800.  The whole is greater than the sum of the parts.


----------



## Pete Schiller

wilcox said:


> ... I can't think of a better match than the Bifrost multibit.  A wonderful synergy with HD6XX and HD800.


 
 +1
 I haven't compared my system to other DAC/amp combinations, but my iTunes > BitPerfect > Bifrost Multibit > Valhalla 2 > HD600 system is amazing to my ears.


----------



## wwmhf

PC -> Gustard U12->M8 DAC from SMSL->Valhalla 2 -> HD650 sounds really good. 
  
 M8 DAC from SMSL was offered from Massdrop for only $150 or so. However, it should be mated with a better power supply to realize its potential.


----------



## rnros

I'm sure the Bifrost MB is a very good DAC with the Valhalla2. However, haven't heard it, I'm using the Gungir MB with the Valhalla2 and the 650s when listening SE.
 Highly recommend trying one of the Schiit Multibit DACS!
 So is it the best for performance? Probably the Gumby and the Yggy are better, so depends on the $budget, or if you care about stacking two units of the same size.
 I would not hesitate with the BifrostMB if the budget is $600.


----------



## GumbyDammit223

Can anybody provide a direct comparison between a Bifrost and Bifrost Multibit? I have the Bifrost between my Valhalla 2 and my computer and I think it sounds just fine and really don't see (hear) how the more expensive Multibit could sound any better.

Before I made my purchase (beginning of 2016), I directly asked the guys at Schiit what makes the Multibit better and I could not get an answer. To me, that was kind of like saying "Well, we'll take your extra money if you want to give it to us, but there's no appreciable difference."


----------



## sheldaze

gumbydammit223 said:


> Can anybody provide a direct comparison between a Bifrost and Bifrost Multibit? I have the Bifrost between my Valhalla 2 and my computer and I think it sounds just fine and really don't see (hear) how the more expensive Multibit could sound any better.
> 
> Before I made my purchase (beginning of 2016), I directly asked the guys at Schiit what makes the Multibit better and I could not get an answer. To me, that was kind of like saying "Well, we'll take your extra money if you want to give it to us, but there's no appreciable difference."


 
 Multiple thoughts here (for and against):
  
http://www.head-fi.org/t/799894/dc-area-head-fi-meet-saturday-february-27-2016-impressions-thread/135#post_12473308
http://www.head-fi.org/t/805649/schiit-bifrost-vs-bifrost-multibit-bimby-amp-recommendations
  
 I'd also suggest a general perusal of the Bifrost threads.


----------



## GumbyDammit223

sheldaze said:


> Multiple thoughts here (for and against):
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/799894/dc-area-head-fi-meet-saturday-february-27-2016-impressions-thread/135#post_12473308
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/805649/schiit-bifrost-vs-bifrost-multibit-bimby-amp-recommendations
> ...



 


Yeah, kind of like I thought. I'm happy with my setup and glad I saved a couple hundred bucks! Some people perceive a difference and others don't.


----------



## FrankBlack

After lurking in these threads for a couple of weeks now, I have my very own Valhalla 2 on the way.
  
 She arrives tomorrow and will be joined with (this sounds creepier than I intended) my HD600s. I've only run them through the Audioengine D1 since I got them about 2 years ago so, I am pretty excited to light them up for the first time.
  
 Thanks for all the great info you guys have posted!


----------



## DeadHead57

frankblack said:


> After lurking in these threads for a couple of weeks now, I have my very own Valhalla 2 on the way.
> 
> She arrives tomorrow and will be joined with (this sounds creepier than I intended) my HD600s. I've only run them through the Audioengine D1 since I got them about 2 years ago so, I am pretty excited to light them up for the first time.
> 
> Thanks for all the great info you guys have posted!


I also had a D1 but I was running it into a Headroom micro dac in front of my HD600's. The Valhalla 2 was a huge improvement IMHO. Can't wait to hear what you think! Enjoy!!!


----------



## FrankBlack

deadhead57 said:


> I also had a D1 but I was running it into a Headroom micro dac in front of my HD600's. The Valhalla 2 was a huge improvement IMHO. Can't wait to hear what you think! Enjoy!!!


 
  
 The V2 (in black) looks gorgeous first of all and having the Senns amped properly for the first time - it's pretty great. I let it sit running for about an hour and then began a run through of some of my favorite (and most played) albums. Yes/Fragile was first, Mannheim Steamroller/FAIII, William Shatner/Has Been, Physical Graffiti, Kind of Blue, Pictures at an Exhibition (CSO/Reiner), Aja, yadda, yadda... about 8 hours worth.
  
 I know it's all very subjective, but at the moment, I can't imagine this set up sounding any better. I've been following the 'Rolling' thread and am intrigued by the option to fine tune the sound. Honestly, the thing that interests me the most is being able, down the road, to adjust the sound as my old ears begin to lose their groove 
  
 I really wish I had done this earlier. The 600s sounded pretty good out of the D1, but this is a whole other level. Thanks for asking!


----------



## Carlosp

frankblack said:


> The V2 (in black) looks gorgeous first of all and having the Senns amped properly for the first time - it's pretty great. I let it sit running for about an hour and then began a run through of some of my favorite (and most played) albums. Yes/Fragile was first, Mannheim Steamroller/FAIII, William Shatner/Has Been, Physical Graffiti, Kind of Blue, Pictures at an Exhibition (CSO/Reiner), Aja, yadda, yadda... about 8 hours worth.
> 
> I know it's all very subjective, but at the moment, I can't imagine this set up sounding any better. I've been following the 'Rolling' thread and am intrigued by the option to fine tune the sound. Honestly, the thing that interests me the most is being able, down the road, to adjust the sound as my old ears begin to lose their groove
> 
> I really wish I had done this earlier. The 600s sounded pretty good out of the D1, but this is a whole other level. Thanks for asking!


 
 I was in a very similar situation a couple of days ago. I just got my Valhalla 2 and ordered a pair of Amperex Bugle Boys based on popularity combined with the V2 & a pair of Matsu****a Mullards based on the recommendation of a very good tube vendor on Ebay. the Bugle Boy's sounded pretty good and i was very happy with the quality of sound until I tried the Matsu****a's and they almost blew my socks off by how good the sound. They really caught me by surprise, mostly because I wasn't expecting them to sound so freaking awesome!
  
 I can't imagine my setup sounding any better but I also can't help wondering what other tubes are out there that might sound even better. This is my first tube amp and I am loving the fact that you can change the sound by tube rolling and I am starting to worry my curiosity might become very expensive. 
  
 Best of luck on the long journey ahead


----------



## FrankBlack

carlosp said:


> I was in a very similar situation a couple of days ago. I just got my Valhalla 2 and ordered a pair of Amperex Bugle Boys based on popularity combined with the V2 & a pair of Matsu****a Mullards based on the recommendation of a very good tube vendor on Ebay. the Bugle Boy's sounded pretty good and i was very happy with the quality of sound until I tried the Matsu****a's and they almost blew my socks off by how good the sound. They really caught me by surprise, mostly because I wasn't expecting them to sound so freaking awesome!
> 
> I can't imagine my setup sounding any better but I also can't help wondering what other tubes are out there that might sound even better. This is my first tube amp and I am loving the fact that you can change the sound by tube rolling and I am starting to worry my curiosity might become very expensive.
> 
> Best of luck on the long journey ahead


 
  
 Yeah, that's what I'm anticipating happening  I'm fighting the urge right now to order the Bifrost (black) to complement the V2. THEN... we'll maybe do some rolling. What variety of Matsu****s did you get? You've gotten me curious... this is what I was afraid of.


----------



## D Smith

I got a Valhalla 2 a couple weeks ago and have been listening to it with great pleasure.  When Schiit offered it in black I decided I better grab one while they were available. To me it sounds noticeably better than the Magni which I was using before- the Valhalla is rounder and richer driving my DT880's,- but the Magni is no slouch either and is getting moved to the office.  I've gotten well acquainted with the sound of the stock tubes and will be embarking on some tube rolling very soon.


----------



## Carlosp

frankblack said:


> Yeah, that's what I'm anticipating happening  I'm fighting the urge right now to order the Bifrost (black) to complement the V2. THEN... we'll maybe do some rolling. What variety of Matsu****s did you get? You've gotten me curious... this is what I was afraid of.


 
*MATSU****A MULLARD 6DJ8 ECC88 VACUUM TUBE 1979 CURVE TRACER MATCH SWEET TONE J13*
  
 Below is the vendor I use and highly recommend. 
  
 http://www.ebay.com/usr/mercedesman6572


----------



## FrankBlack

carlosp said:


> *MATSU****A MULLARD 6DJ8 ECC88 VACUUM TUBE 1979 CURVE TRACER MATCH SWEET TONE J13*
> 
> Below is the vendor I use and highly recommend.
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/usr/mercedesman6572


 
  
 Great. Now I have someone (you and mercedesman) to blame  Thanks for the link and info!


----------



## Carlosp

frankblack said:


> Great. Now I have someone (you and mercedesman) to blame  Thanks for the link and info!


 
 My pleasure! I will make sure to share my findings if I find anything better along the way


----------



## ColtMrFire

gumbydammit223 said:


> sheldaze said:
> 
> 
> > Multiple thoughts here (for and against):
> ...




The Bifrost 4490 is only $70 to upgrade and is almost as good as multibit. Some people even prefer the 4490 to multibit. It is an insanely great value for the money IMO.


----------



## martinrajdl

So I just got my Valhalla 2 today, and I have a few questions and concerns. Is the LED light supposed to stay lit up when you power it off ? I even unplugged it from the power source and it is still lit up minutes later. Also, one of my rear (tall) tubes, came in looking significantly "rougher" than the other ones. The metal plate inside looks really dated and used (I don't know if they become more colored after used, since this is my first tube amp, but it definitely looks pretty rough), also the same tube - but I don't think it's the tube, I think it is the socket, won't seat the tube very well. It's sticking out quite a bit more than the other "tall" tube (like 3-4 mm more up). Is that all ok or should I be in any way concerned ? About anything ? Thanks
  
 Also, I am loving the sound and all, significant upgrade over my current setup, but I definitely need some more time to compare and break it in.


----------



## D Smith

The LED on the Valhalla will stay lit for quite a while after you shut it off.  Mine does for 10-15 minutes.  The tubes should definitely be at the same height in the back.  Were the pins bent on the tube that is sitting too high? If not there may be an issue with the socket.  However if everything sounds ok, maybe not worth worrying about except for aesthetic reasons  I would contact Schiit though and let them know about the issue.  They have been very helpful to me in the past. Enjoy your Valhalla!


----------



## notfitforpublic

martinrajdl said:


> Is the LED light supposed to stay lit up when you power it off ?




Completely normal. I believe its the Valhalla's way of dissipating any remaining power in the caps and circuitry. It will stay lit and slowly dimming for some time.


----------



## martinrajdl

d smith said:


> The LED on the Valhalla will stay lit for quite a while after you shut it off.  Mine does for 10-15 minutes.  The tubes should definitely be at the same height in the back.  Were the pins bent on the tube that is sitting too high? If not there may be an issue with the socket.  However if everything sounds ok, maybe not worth worrying about except for aesthetic reasons  I would contact Schiit though and let them know about the issue.  They have been very helpful to me in the past. Enjoy your Valhalla!


 
 Thanks for the response. At first I thought it was really weird, it's really funny to see an electronic device lit up even though it's not plugged in. Kind of unusual these days  Anyway, I didn't want to power it off and wait till it cools down to try doing something with the rear tube, but I tried switching them in the morning, and they both went in all they way just fine. I even tried switching them back so that the one that wasn't fully inserted in the first place went in all the way, so no problem there. BTW, so far, I am absolutely loving my Valhalla. I consider it a significant upgrade over my Fiio E09K, as it solves many things that bother me. I hear a significant improvement in bass impact and in overall detail. They don't sound nearly as veiled as they did before. Already started looking at ebay for tubes to roll though  


notfitforpublic said:


> Completely normal. I believe its the Valhalla's way of dissipating any remaining power in the caps and circuitry. It will stay lit and slowly dimming for some time.


 
 Thanks too, It is actually quite funny and new experience as a whole. I was really shocked to see it still lit up when I unplugged it though


----------



## GumbyDammit223

Ya gotta love those big electrolytics for filtering!


----------



## alitomr

Well, after reading this whole thread, I feel like I should go straight to the Valhalla 2 and be over with it. Although I still have a kind of academic curiosity as to what you can expect from going to one level to the other in audio equipment. I have that itch, and really want to try a lot of products from different price points, like going from the modi to the lyr 2, trying everything in between and the same with DACs. 
  
 Thank you all for sharing your experiences. They are very helpful. 
  
 BTW, I received yesterday a brand new pair of HD600. They are going from my receiver pre-outs to a behringer Q502USB mixer and they are sounding really good. I am looking for hedphones that give me the SQ of my speaker system and these are not there yet, but for a 250USD investment, they are very nice indeed.


----------



## potatography

alitomr said:


> Well, after reading this whole thread, I feel like I should go straight to the Valhalla 2 and be over with it. Although I still have a kind of academic curiosity as to what you can expect from going to one level to the other in audio equipment. I have that itch, and really want to try a lot of products from different price points, like going from the modi to the lyr 2, trying everything in between and the same with DACs.
> 
> Thank you all for sharing your experiences. They are very helpful.
> 
> BTW, I received yesterday a brand new pair of HD600. They are going from my receiver pre-outs to a behringer Q502USB mixer and they are sounding really good. I am looking for hedphones that give me the SQ of my speaker system and these are not there yet, but for a 250USD investment, they are very nice indeed.


 
 You might wanna hold on to buying schiit stuff since Jason will be announcing new products tomorrow.


----------



## alitomr

potatography said:


> You might wanna hold on to buying schiit stuff since Jason will be announcing new products tomorrow.


 
 Thank you!!
  
 I will definitely wait!  
  
 I have a little more than a month to go to NYC, I suppose that is decent time for people to get their new stuff and review and compare with the old stuff.


----------



## DeadHead57

alitomr said:


> Thank you!!i just saw your posts in the HD600 thread. For what it's worth I have been running my HD600's through the bifrost 4490 and the Valhalla 2 and couldn't be happier. It is a great combo! Happy hunting!
> 
> I will definitely wait!
> 
> I have a little more than a month to go to NYC, I suppose that is decent time for people to get their new stuff and review and compare with the old stuff.


----------



## alitomr

I can´t find the Valhalla 2 tube rolling thread. Is there one?  
  
 I am loving my Valhalla 2, and since I am considering a solid state amp as a secondary, for a more forward, bright sound. Somebody suggested that those things could probably be had with the same Valhalla 2 with different tubes. 
  
 Any ideas?


----------



## Fegefeuer

http://www.head-fi.org/t/619910/schiit-valhalla-tube-rolling-thread


----------



## Angular Mo

Buy VH2 now or wait?


----------



## notfitforpublic

angular mo said:


> Buy VH2 now or wait?


 
 I don't think buying now presents any greater risk than any other time for any other technology product a couple years into its life. It might get updated, it might not. who's to say.
  
 Buy used, save some cash, feel less bad if it does get updated/replaced.


----------



## Loose-Leaf

Yep,.


----------



## L8MDL

Just picked up a Valhalla 2 for my HD600's with a Cardas cable. SUPERB! Source = Pono


----------



## SearchOfSub

edit


----------



## ClintonL

Just got a valhalla 2, should i use low or high gain for my hd800?
  
 Cheers


----------



## vocalstrance

I usually keep mine on high gain, but you should try both. Just ensure that you turn the volume all the way down first, or your ears may not like the jump in volume.


----------



## notfitforpublic

clintonl said:


> Just got a valhalla 2, should i use low or high gain for my hd800?
> 
> Cheers


 

 I always suggest starting with low gain and only use high if you require more volume. Try both and see which you prefer.
  
 Edit: Remember the output impedance changes when the gain is adjusted.


----------



## ClintonL

Also just realised how hot this runs, burns my finger just touching the volume knob. I've raised it on a metal riser and might need to hook up a fan on it. What ways are you guys cooling it?


----------



## r2muchstuff

Nothing other than Socket Savers or adapters.
  
 Tube amps and Class A amps run hot.  It is OK.
  
 IMHO,
 r2


----------



## notfitforpublic

clintonl said:


> Also just realised how hot this runs, burns my finger just touching the volume knob. I've raised it on a metal riser and might need to hook up a fan on it. What ways are you guys cooling it?


 

 Socket savers take down the heat a bit. Bigger feet for circulation my help as well. It runs hot no matter what you do though. I've seen wrap the knob in various materials and bands to help.


----------



## L8MDL

clintonl said:


> Just got a valhalla 2, should i use low or high gain for my hd800?
> 
> Cheers




I'm running hi gain with my HD600's at about 2 o'clock volume. And yes, it gets toasty! Source = Pono Fixed Aux output


----------



## ClintonL

Do socket savers effect the quality at all?


----------



## r2muchstuff

Not IMHO
  
 r2
  
 edit:  Not counting cheap, badly constructed savers.


----------



## D Smith

clintonl said:


> Do socket savers effect the quality at all?


 

 Not in my experience.  I got the ones from Tubemonger.  They reduced the heat significantly on the volume control which is now warm to the touch but not hot. I also bought bigger feet to raise it away from the shelf more.


----------



## Billheiser

clintonl said:


> Also just realised how hot this runs, burns my finger just touching the volume knob. I've raised it on a metal riser and might need to hook up a fan on it. What ways are you guys cooling it?



Schitt says it operates well within its thermal limits, so there is no need for fan cooling, etc. 

I'm a tough manly man so a warm volume knob don't bother me none. YMMV.


----------



## ClintonL

I can't actually find any socket savers (i'm in australia). Do they go under a different name. And yep i used metal coins to raise it about 5cm off the ground. More concerned when it gets to Australian summer where my room itself can get to about 40ish degrees celcius.


----------



## grrorr76

clintonl said:


> I can't actually find any socket savers (i'm in australia). Do they go under a different name. And yep i used metal coins to raise it about 5cm off the ground. More concerned when it gets to Australian summer where my room itself can get to about 40ish degrees celcius.


 

 Heya Im also an aussie. I think this is what your after. I got mine from here http://www.tubemonger.com/NOVIB_Socket_Saver_1960s_NOS_British_McMurdo_B9A_p/novib-mcmurdo.htm
  
 I also have a hot room in summer and they make a big difference


----------



## vocalstrance

I did get ebay socket savers and they introduced a lot of noise, but they were not too quality. I do however have my V2 raised; it is sitting on 4 large marbles which are sitting on 4 upturned rubber feet. I think it helps to add a little air circulation and it looks good too.


----------



## ClintonL

So i think i'm just going to actively cool it. Wondering will getting a laptop cooler cooling the bottom be sufficient or should i get a fan to blow across the top and actually cool the tubes itself.


----------



## franzdom

The tubes have heaters for a reason, I don't think a temperature gradient on them is a good idea. Why do you want to cool the amp at all?


----------



## Billheiser

clintonl said:


> So i think i'm just going to actively cool it. Wondering will getting a laptop cooler cooling the bottom be sufficient or should i get a fan to blow across the top and actually cool the tubes itself.


 

 That's fixing a problem that doesn't exist.  Email Schiit; they will advise you that NO cooling is needed.


----------



## L8MDL

From the Schiit site:
Q "So, this thing runs damn hot, like Asgard?
A If by “damn hot” you mean 40-45 degrees C (104-113° F), then yes.

Q And you’re not concerned with that?
A Nope. The entire chassis is a heat sink, and we’re running the outputs well within their safe operating area, even derating for the operational temperature. Sorry, some engineerese crept in there.

Q But it still runs hot!
A And technically, that’s still not a question. If you want an amp that runs cold, it’s best to look elsewhere."


----------



## ClintonL

So for reference winter is ending here in Australia and i'd say its 45-50 degrees while my ambient room temps were about 18 degrees. When it gets to the dead of summer and my room can get to 43-45 degrees (no air conditioning) then I think it'll be a real issue.


----------



## L8MDL

clintonl said:


> So for reference winter is ending here in Australia and i'd say its 45-50 degrees while my ambient room temps were about 18 degrees. When it gets to the dead of summer and my room can get to 43-45 degrees (no air conditioning) then I think it'll be a real issue.




Seems to me if your room is 45° and the Valhalla is 45° it would not add heat. Of course I'm not a scientist although I played one in a school play one time.


----------



## franzdom

If my room were 45 I wouldn't want to add more heat to it with a hot amp and especially not with an added fan. 
  
 113F = 45C seriously in your room???
  
 Anyway, I design equipment that can handle up to 40C ambient, if your ambient goes over that you may have issues.


----------



## ClintonL

l8mdl said:


> Seems to me if your room is 45° and the Valhalla is 45° it would not add heat. Of course I'm not a scientist although I played one in a school play one time.


 
 So at the moment my room is 18 degrees and the valhalla lets be conservative is 45. That means its about 27 above ambient.
 When my room gets to 45 then it'll be hitting 80ish approx because it runs approx 25-30 above . So my computer can throttle when hot to reduce  the heat to avoid damage but i'm not sure this will be able to.
 And thats Australian summer unfortunately, last year it got up to 44 degrees and there were countles over 40 degrees days.
 My room directly gets afternoon sun and is a wooden house with little insulation and is way hotter than outside so i wouldn't be suprised if it's got up to 48ish. Above 40 i don't think i'd use it at all but since most days are 30+ i think it'd still run at an uncomfortable level if it wasn't actively cooled.


----------



## notfitforpublic

Then cool it or sell it. Don't see the point of pressing the issue if you've already made up your mind


----------



## ClintonL

Yeah so I came here for ideas on how to cool it as i'm sure someone else has attempted it.


----------



## Billheiser

clintonl said:


> Yeah so I came here for ideas on how to cool it as i'm sure someone else has attempted it.



1. People said use socket savers, if you wish (tho they are not necessary).
2. People agreed that putting the amp on taller feet would help. 
3. You suggested a fan and a laptop cooler. No one contradicted those, although they are not needed. 
4. A user posted Schiit's words about the Valhalla running hot as normal and a necessary part of its design. 
5. You may want other ideas but I don't see other practical ones. Refrigerated box? Your room can be 113 degrees F but air conditioning is not an option? Then replacing V2 with a cool running amp seems the only choice.


----------



## jrflanne

Do not worry about the heat. It harms nothing. I leave mine on all of the time and it is around 2+ years old.


----------



## notfitforpublic

jrflanne said:


> Do not worry about the heat. It harms nothing. I leave mine on all of the time and it is around 2+ years old.


 

 Oh really? how many sets of tubes have you gone through in that 2 year time? Always power mine down in fear of blowing through tubes.


----------



## wwmhf

clintonl said:


> Just got a valhalla 2, should i use low or high gain for my hd800?
> 
> Cheers


 
  
 I think high gain is better for phones with higher Zs in general


----------



## GumbyDammit223

wwmhf said:


> I think high gain is better for phones with higher Zs in general


 

 Try both and see (hear) which setting works best for you.
  
 Note - when you change gain settings, make sure your volume is turned all the way down to prevent surprises.


----------



## jrflanne

None.


----------



## jrflanne

notfitforpublic said:


> Oh really? how many sets of tubes have you gone through in that 2 year time? Always power mine down in fear of blowing through tubes.


 

 Sorry. I have the original tubes. Use it all of the time.


----------



## L8MDL

jrflanne said:


> Sorry. I have the original tubes. Use it all of the time.




So am I to understand you have left your Valhalla 2 on 24/7 for two years, without any tube replacement? That would be over 17,000 hours. Your initial post said "I leave mine on *all of the time* and it is around 2+ years old" which could be taken a number of ways. Just curious.


----------



## vocalstrance

17,000 hrs of life may seem absurd, but I thought that warm-up was the most wearing part of using a tube, much like engine warm-up is when most wear and tear is done. The fast change in temperature is the enemy.
That being said, leaving tube amps on "all the time" seems to be a waste of energy, not to mention the heat that they put out. But to each their own. Sadly I haven't turned on the V2 in a while as the Rag with both speaker and headphone out has been monopolizing amplification duties lately.


----------



## v3kt0r

Hello Guys,
  
 Will this work?
  
 I have 2 sources: VPI Scout and Mojo (using as DAC). Since Valhalla 2 has only one input, can I connect them with splitters bellow and use it one at the time instead of switching cables all the time?
  

  
 Thank you.


----------



## notfitforpublic

v3kt0r said:


> Hello Guys,
> 
> Will this work?
> 
> I have 2 sources: VPI Scout and Mojo (using as DAC). Since Valhalla 2 has only one input, can I connect them with splitters bellow and use it one at the time instead of switching cables all the time?


 
 I don't think so. You can split a source signal at its output without causing issues (1 DAC 2 amps) but putting a splitter at the amp end messes with things and isn't suggested. I believe it has to do with the input impedance of the amp but can't remember the direct science. A Schiit SYS will solve that issue though. They're cheap and accessible if your in the states.
  
http://schiit.com/products/sys​


----------



## v3kt0r

Hello Notfitforpublic,
  
 Thanks a lot! I didn't know about sys. However, $50 is pretty cheap to get this project done.
  
 Yes, I'm in US. Got my Valhalla 2 delivered today to my work place so imagine how difficult for me to make it through the day to finally get home and enjoy it, specially when that box in front of my eyes all day long  
  
  
 Thanks again


----------



## L8MDL

I think it would work as long as both sources are not on at the same time. I would be curious as to whether it does or doesn't work. I do like the "sys" though.


----------



## v3kt0r

Hello L8MD. My phone stage preamp is Lounge LCR MK2 and it's turned on 24/7 as they recommend. So, now I think, it's probably keeps sending some signal (not exactly sure). In this case it could be mixed with DAC signal all the time. Sys looks like good/proper option to run it.


----------



## jrflanne

I wonder why Schiit doesn't make a passive preamp with say three line-ins and maybe a phono pre. Seems like that might be a product somebody might want. A Mega Sys, if you will.


----------



## v3kt0r

3 inputs would be perfect. Make sense these days... vinyl, file, cd
  
 Ok, my first impression is only good. Almost 5 hours non-stop listening. Basically, I got new HD600 with HD650 cable + Grado 15 extension (my first open-back headphones) and have only one word to characterize them so far is "honesty" but maybe a bit over exaggerating on highs personally for me.
  
 Running vinyl was fun as usual because you really feel vinyl sound, warm, soft and deep - like a batter for your ears 
 Rig: Ortofon 2M Bronze -> VPI Scout -> Lounge MK2 -> Valhalla 2 -> HD600
  
 FLAC and DSD was punchy, wide dynamically and a bit bright at some parts but overall is great experience. Whatever I've expected.
 Rig: Raspberry PI3 (moOde) -> AQ Jitterbug -> Mojo -> Valhalla 2 -> HD600
  
 I understand that it needs to take some time for tubes to break in but it already sounds promising.
  
 BTW, I listen to everything from Jazz, Classics to Techno and IDM. Works well for most music genres.


----------



## L8MDL

https://www.amazon.com/Optimal-Shop-Output-Selector-Splitter/dp/B00NWJQSM0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1475292832&sr=8-2&keywords=multi+rca+adapter


----------



## v3kt0r

Guys,
  
 Just discovered something weird. Please let me know if anyone has experienced similar issue.
  
 Tried 3 different tubes:
 JJ ECC88s (new)
 Golden Lion ECC88 (currently use in my Line Magnetic amp over 100hours) 
 Line Magnetic ECC88 (New. Came with my LM amp. I think Sovtek is making those)
  
 With JJs and Golden Lions had some issue with one channel. Volume level is either lower or completely off but with Line Magnetic ECC88 everything works fine. Wanted to use JJs which, on paper, should be better choice than Line Magnetics.
  
  
 Thanks


----------



## v3kt0r

Guys, ignore my previous message. Found a problem.


----------



## mysticstryk

v3kt0r said:


> Guys, ignore my previous message. Found a problem.


 
  
 If they are not a matched pair, all sorts of imbalances could crop up.  What was the problem you discovered?


----------



## v3kt0r

Don't laugh loud  but stupid me put ECC83 instead of ECC88. Changed it back, all is good.
  
 However, now have another question - Line Magnetic ECC83 worked well.


----------



## jamesino

I'm looking to connect a Modi 1 to a Valhalla 2.
  
 Will the 6" PYST red RCA cables from Schiit be long enough to connect them side by side?
  
 Otherwise, can anyone recommend the cheapest, high-quality RCA cables that would be long enough to connect a Valhalla 2 to a Modi?


----------



## notfitforpublic

jamesino said:


> I'm looking to connect a Modi 1 to a Valhalla 2.
> 
> Will the 6" PYST red RCA cables from Schiit be long enough to connect them side by side?
> 
> Otherwise, can anyone recommend the cheapest, high-quality RCA cables that would be long enough to connect a Valhalla 2 to a Modi?


 

 No idea on the PYST's but monoprice and Bluejeansaudio are your best bet for quality, budget conscious cables. Beyond that, the price can get pretty ridiculous.


----------



## wwmhf

notfitforpublic said:


> No idea on the PYST's but monoprice and Bluejeansaudio are your best bet for quality, budget conscious cables. Beyond that, the price can get pretty ridiculous.


 
  
 "Beyond that, the price can get pretty ridiculous." Totally agree!


----------



## jamesino

Should the Valhalla 2 come with 4 rubber feet for the bottom? Just purchased one from Amazon and it didnt come with rubber feet. It had some large splotches of glue residue on the bottom instead.


----------



## L8MDL

There should be a small "card" with 4 rubber feet. No glue residue on mine!


----------



## notfitforpublic

jamesino said:


> Should the Valhalla 2 come with 4 rubber feet for the bottom? Just purchased one from Amazon and it didnt come with rubber feet. It had some large splotches of glue residue on the bottom instead.


 

 Purchase a used unit perhaps?


----------



## jamesino

notfitforpublic said:


> Purchase a used unit perhaps?


 
 Yeah that's what I was thinking. The "factory sealed" tape on the outer box was intact, but the sticker on the plastic bag holding the actual amp was broken already. I guess I'd have to ship it back to Amazon for an exchange? i.e, they wouldn't be able to just send me the rubber feet right? 
  
 On another note, assuming I'm using the Vally 2 in a well air-conditioned room, is there a max amount of time I can safely listen to the amp in one sitting? Does the amount of heat generated plateau at a certain point?


----------



## notfitforpublic

jamesino said:


> Yeah that's what I was thinking. The "factory sealed" tape on the outer box was intact, but the sticker on the plastic bag holding the actual amp was broken already. I guess I'd have to ship it back to Amazon for an exchange? i.e, they wouldn't be able to just send me the rubber feet right?
> 
> On another note, assuming I'm using the Vally 2 in a well air-conditioned room, is there a max amount of time I can safely listen to the amp in one sitting? Does the amount of heat generated plateau at a certain point?


 

 I would, or just return it all together and order directly from Schiit.
  
 I've had my Valhalla running for days at a time every once in a while. Theres no plateau of heating issue to my knowledge (Edit: as in no, your amp won't continue to get so hot it explodes or anything. Once it reaches an optimal point, its stays there), just the shortening of the life span on the tubes issue.


----------



## L8MDL

Schiit could probably send you a set of feet if you ask nicely! They have superb customer service in my opinion.

As for the heat, I've run mine for 16 hours straight with no problems. Some folks leave them on 24/7 but that's not my style.


----------



## cherrypepsi

I just got my Valhalla 2 yesterday. My setup is bimby ->Valhalla 2 -> hd650. This amp is very natural, smooth and a bit warm, noticeably better than my smsl amp. The only thing is that the clearity/resolution could be better. But still, can't complain at this price though. Solid value.


----------



## wwmhf

My Valhalla 2 also sounds very good as pre-amp for my speaker system.


----------



## yangian

cherrypepsi said:


> I just got my Valhalla 2 yesterday. My setup is bimby ->Valhalla 2 -> hd650. This amp is very natural, smooth and a bit warm, noticeably better than my smsl amp. The only thing is that the clearity/resolution could be better. But still, can't complain at this price though. Solid value.


 
 Update the driver tubes and it'll have big improvement.


----------



## martinrajdl

Hey everyone! So I've had my Valhalla 2 for a couple of months now and I am completely in love with it especially with my HD600s and JDS Labs ODAC.
 The thing is I have just today started to get weird buzz noises out of nowhere, then they would stop and be back in a couple of minutes. It is very apparently the Amp and it appears to be the tubes dying out.
 Do you have any idea if it is the power output tubes (6N6Ps) or the input (driver right ? the smaller ones) 6N1P tubes ?
 Also, I have briefly went through the Schiit Valhalla 2 tube rolling thread, and I would probably go for some JJ tubes from EuroTubes, any other recommendations ( maybe for the output tubes ?) Thanks for answers in advance.


----------



## D Smith

@martinrajdl I'm surprised you are having issues with your tubes so soon after purchase. The ones that come with the Valhalla are rated for 5000 hours.  Does the noise happen with nothing plugged into the amp?  Is it in one channel or both?  You may also have power problems causing the noise. More knowledgable people on this board might have some suggestions for that.
 I have not tried the JJ tubes but I swapped the stock Valhalla input tubes for NOS Amperex 6DJ8s and the difference was quite noticeable and better. From what I have read swapping the output tubes makes little or no difference but don't know this from experience.
 I love my Valhalla too! Best of luck.


----------



## martinrajdl

@D Smith Well, I've had it since June running at least a few hours every day, that really doesn't add up to 5000 hours tho. It was only in the right channel, and it wasn't so much a noise as a set of buzz noises (almost as if it was a morse code, lol), after a few seconds it would stop and be back in 5 to 15 minutes. I unplugged everything, reconnected it and it is gone, so it might have been in the source, or some poor connection somewhere. I guess I am starting to get eager to upgrade the tubes, so I got straight up to to that without thinking it might be something else 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




, but now that I am at it, I might as well upgrade the tubes anyway 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. Anyway, thanks for the reply.


----------



## notfitforpublic

martinrajdl said:


> @D Smith Well, I've had it since June running at least a few hours every day, that really doesn't add up to 5000 hours tho. It was only in the right channel, and it wasn't so much a noise as a set of buzz noises (almost as if it was a morse code, lol), after a few seconds it would stop and be back in 5 to 15 minutes. I unplugged everything, reconnected it and it is gone, so it might have been in the source, or some poor connection somewhere. I guess I am starting to get eager to upgrade the tubes, so I got straight up to to that without thinking it might be something else
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Keep your cellphone by your amp? Sounds like it could be interference from a phone... When tubes start to go its more of a constant static, a "crushing of leaves" sound lets say. Your description sounds more like digitized static from a cell connection.


----------



## martinrajdl

Yeah I sometimes hear the interference from the cellphone, and this wasn't really it. It was someone similar, especially in its repetitiveness, but it wasn't really the same thing. And when the interference happens, I can hear it in both channels, this was something different. I guess I have nothing to worry about, I unplugged everything and after plugging everything back it, no noises occurring, it is dead silent as usual. Must have been some poor connection somewhere.


----------



## GumbyDammit223

martinrajdl said:


> Yeah I sometimes hear the interference from the cellphone, and this wasn't really it. It was someone similar, especially in its repetitiveness, but it wasn't really the same thing. And when the interference happens, I can hear it in both channels, this was something different. I guess I have nothing to worry about, I unplugged everything and after plugging everything back it, no noises occurring, it is dead silent as usual. Must have been some poor connection somewhere.


 

 Another thing to try, with the amp off of course, 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 is to reseat all four tubes.  With the amp seeing so many temp cycles from being turned on, getting hot, turned off and cooling down, there's an off chance a pin or two might have a slight intermittent connection.  Not saying that's the problem, but it's a simple thing to do.  Also, if you haven't invested in a set yet, a set of socket savers are a good thing to have, especially if you plan on rolling tubes.
  
 Good luck!


----------



## martinrajdl

Yeah that's what I did, but I actually think the issue was with the right channel cable (RCA) connecting poorly to the ODAC. The cables that I have are super thick and not very manageable and I think that the cable just started to get disconnected and I didn't notice. Anyway, as I was excited about getting new tubes, I ended up ordering pair of JJ gold pins from a local store anyway, damn 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




... I would really like to get a pair of socket savers too (just for the looks), but I am pretty worried about the sound quality being affected.


----------



## GumbyDammit223

Assuming you don't have hellaciously huge solder blobs shorting several pins together, you should be good.  The pins are heavy gauge so resistance will be negligible and as long as the sockets have a nice tight fit when you insert your tubes, you should be good.  The only concern I would have would be the excessive use of resin core solder flux inside the housing.  When I inspected my set and found the short, I did notice waaay too much flux inside one of them and flushed them all out with methanol.  Seeing as they were $5 Chinese imports...meh.


----------



## bboris77

This is for anyone that is debating whether it would be worth it to upgrade from the Vali 2 to the Valhalla 2. The answer is a resounding yes. Especially if you have Sennheiser HD600. I just got my Valhalla 2 today and I am totally blown away. I love the Vali 2 for its laid back sound but Valhalla 2 is superior to it in almost every way. Much more clear sounding, like a veil had been lifted. The Valhalla 2 resolves much more detail and the soundstage is absolutely spectacular. It seems to be faster than the Vali 2 - drum hits sound really full and crispy. I was worried that the Valhalla was going to be lean-sounding, but I actually find the bass to be exceptionally accurate and satisfying. It surprisingly has a healthy dose of slam factor too. The only area in which the Vali 2 appears to be superior is in its ability to drive low impedance headphones better. However, I am truly floored by how great Valhalla 2 sounds. I also own the Bottlehead Crack with Speedball which is a bass monster but I much prefer the Valhalla 2 for its accuracy, resolution, soundstage and ability to draw you into the music.
  
 One last note - I live in an area that is close to an airport and have had rf interference issues with various phono stages and amplifiers. I was just a bit worried about the Valhalla 2 since it has 4 exposed tubes. Happy to report absolutely no rf interference. It has pitch black absolutely dead silent background in both low and high gain modes with my HD600.


----------



## bboris77

One question for people who have owned the Valhalla 2 for a while - have you noticed how the volume pot turns more easily once the amp has warmed up a bit? When the amp is cold, the volume knob offers a fair bit of resistance when you turn it, but it is very smooth throughout the range. After about 30 minutes of warm up, it becomes quite a bit easier to turn but slightly uneven in terms of resistance. It sometimes feels a bit notchy in the area in which the volume pot was left for a long time. Say you leave it at 11 o'clock for a few hours while the amp is turned on - then that area offers a bit more resistance for the first few turns when you are turning the volume up or down. Not really an issue, but just wanted to see if anyone experienced the same thing.
  
 I can only assume this is due to it running quite hot so there is some thermal expansion going on. Possibly other hot-running Schiit amps like the Asgard or the Lyr exhibit the same behavior.


----------



## GumbyDammit223

I've noticed that too, but haven't seen (heard) any detrimental effects.  Had mine almost a full year and with no input, the amp's output is still pitch black across both gain settings when rotating the volume all the way up.


----------



## bboris77

gumbydammit223 said:


> I've noticed that too, but haven't seen (heard) any detrimental effects.  Had mine almost a full year and with no input, the amp's output is still pitch black across both gain settings when rotating the volume all the way up.


 
 Awesome...thanks for that quick response. I am fairly picky about my stuff, so it is good to know it has no detrimental effect on the longevity of the amp.


----------



## Metrops

Would you recommend the Valhalla 2 for the HD 700, or would something like the JDS Lab The Element work better?


----------



## stuck limo

Turned 30 and decided to reward myself with something I'd wanted for a long time. I originally had a Vali 1 from Schiit and decided I wanted to upgrade (I loved the Vali though). Finally found this thing in Like New condition on Ebay, $319 and free shipping.
  
 Got it today and chronicled my unboxing/assembly for everyone. http://imgur.com/gallery/YrnU6
  
 So far, like they say, this Schiit is very non-tubey and solid state sounding. It's pretty neutral, with a hint/drop of softness (probably the tubes) and some very minor warmth, just enough to make it not sterile. The bass sounds really nice and punchy but not overpowering in the least. Could probably use a little more bass, but that's honestly probably the headphones more than anything. [Senn 600] Vocals of course shine and sound very natural and the highs sound really easy to listen to. Any sibilance will probably be recording dependent. [I'm looking at you, Rush] edit: dammit. Now I'm noticing more sibilance in my recordings now that I've brought my own attention to it. We'll see if it get tamed after a while. I've heard it does go away after a while, so I'm not terribly worried. It's not bad, just annoying if you're looking for it.
  
 Soundstage sounds pretty big, and instruments are "alive" for lack of a better term. Everything is very vivid, like you're actually hearing the instruments and vocals as they sound in real life. The sound is very detailed and I don't feel I'm missing much, if anything in the mixes. The music seems to be bubbling from my headphones. No lack of power here. I can tell you it's very enveloping and makes me want to just sink into the music.
  
 Supposedly these need about 40-50 hours of "burn in" time, so I'll be using these over the next few days and seeing how they settle in.
 TL;DR: buy this.
  
 Random note: feeding this (currently) with Geek Out 2A DAC and Spotify Extreme. Tried using FLAC files from my main desktop the PC wouldn't play anything for some weird reason so I switched.


----------



## thyname

Is there something with the Valhalla 2 specs on Schiit website? Why the rated power is less on lower rated impedance headphones (in Ohms) vs. higher rated impedance headphones? Should it not be the other way around? To make a case:
  
  
_*Vali 2:*_
 
@ 50 Ohm: 650 mW per channel
@300 Ohm: 270 mW per channel
 
_*Valhalla 2:*_
 
@ 50 Ohm: 180 mW per channel
@ 300 Ohm: 800 mW per channel
 
Is there something wrong with this picture? In other words, shouldn't the power be higher for Valhalla 2 on 50 Ohms headphones than on the 300 Ohm ones?


----------



## L8MDL

thyname said:


> Is there something with the Valhalla 2 specs on Schiit website? Why the rated power is less on lower rated impedance headphones (in Ohms) vs. higher rated impedance headphones? Should it not be the other way around? To make a case:
> 
> 
> _*Vali 2:*_
> ...




It has to do with the gain switch. At 50ohms it's off, at 300ohms it's on.


----------



## thyname

l8mdl said:


> It has to do with the gain switch. At 50ohms it's off, at 300ohms it's on.


 
 I see.
  
 But wouldn't it be the same for Vali (and other tube amps)? Why all of them are different than Valhalla? I understand for solid state amps, but for tube amps? Isn't Vali also all tubes (not hybrid)?


----------



## D Smith

thyname said:


> I see.
> 
> But wouldn't it be the same for Vali (and other tube amps)? Why all of them are different than Valhalla? I understand for solid state amps, but for tube amps? Isn't Vali also all tubes (not hybrid)?


 

 The Vali 2 is a hybrid amp, where the Valhalla is an OTL all tube amp, which puts out more power at higher impedances. It still works well with lower impedance headphones however.


----------



## thyname

d smith said:


> The Vali 2 is a hybrid amp, where the Valhalla is an OTL all tube amp, which puts out more power at higher impedances. It still works well with lower impedance headphones however.




This makes sense. Thanks!

I wish the Schiit "tech" told me the same thing.


----------



## NBrock

Just got my Valhalla 2 yesterday. Been breaking it in for a few hours now. Really liking it on my DT990 Pros. It's a pretty good upgrade from my O2 amp lol. Now I want to test some other headphones on here and and see what my next set of cans will be.


----------



## dodi

Got my new Valhalla 2 last week and noticed something strange. Wondering if anyone else has had this problem. I unplugged my headphones to plug in elsewhere without powering the amp off and the amp shut itself off. I had to power the amp off and power it back on to get it to come on again. Tried again and got the same result.


----------



## notfitforpublic

dodi said:


> Got my new Valhalla 2 last week and noticed something strange. Wondering if anyone else has had this problem. I unplugged my headphones to plug in elsewhere without powering the amp off and the amp shut itself off. I had to power the amp off and power it back on to get it to come on again. Tried again and got the same result.


 

 Very odd indeed. Baring something silly (not judging) like accidentally flipping the power switch as you grab the amp to pull out your headphones (done it), or loose power cable, I'd contact Schiit as soon as possible.


----------



## dodi

Thank you for the reply. I thought it was some auto shutoff circuit. I'm using HD 650 headphones. I also hear a very loud pop in the headphone if I pull them from the jack.


----------



## potatography

stuck limo said:


> Turned 30 and decided to reward myself with something I'd wanted for a long time. I originally had a Vali 1 from Schiit and decided I wanted to upgrade (I loved the Vali though). Finally found this thing in Like New condition on Ebay, $319 and free shipping.
> 
> Got it today and chronicled my unboxing/assembly for everyone. http://imgur.com/gallery/YrnU6
> 
> ...


 
 Dude you mind doing a comparison between Vali 1 and Valhalla 2?
  
 Been thinking of upgrading to Valhalla 2 for the longest time but I'm still not entirely sure if there is any tangible improvement in doing so.


----------



## stuck limo

potatography said:


> Dude you mind doing a comparison between Vali 1 and Valhalla 2?
> 
> Been thinking of upgrading to Valhalla 2 for the longest time but I'm still not entirely sure if there is any tangible improvement in doing so.


 
  
 The Vali is more tubey and sounds richer and thicker. More mid-bass, so it's a little more boomy (you know what I'm talking about). I believe a smaller soundstage. Everything sounds really really good on the Vali. I was listening to music right before I sold it and the vocals were just hanging there in the headspace. It almost made me not sell it. I haven't really had that experience (yet) with the Valhalla 2.
  
 Like I said, to my ears, the Vahalla 2 is much more solid state-ish and it will give you more options, so keep in mind I'm only using the stock tubes at this point. You can probably get a more "tube" sound from other tubes (which I intend to try soon). And from my understanding, you can get much better tubes for the Valhalla 2 that blow away the stock tubes (and I assume the Vali).
  
 Which do I like better? I like the Vali's richness and thick nature (again, some of the vocal placement sounds amazing), but I like the really detailed music and open soundstage of the Valhalla 2 and tube upgrade options.


----------



## r2muchstuff

Yes the Valhalla 2 and Vali 2 may use the same tubes, including several that need adapters.  Individual tubes may be "previewed"  in the Vale 2  prior to use in the Valhalla 2.  You know you want both 
  
 IMHO,
 r2


----------



## h2rulz

stuck limo said:


> The Vali is more tubey and sounds richer and thicker. More mid-bass, so it's a little more boomy (you know what I'm talking about). I believe a smaller soundstage. Everything sounds really really good on the Vali. I was listening to music right before I sold it and the vocals were just hanging there in the headspace. It almost made me not sell it. I haven't really had that experience (yet) with the Valhalla 2.
> 
> Like I said, to my ears, the Vahalla 2 is much more solid state-ish and it will give you more options, so keep in mind I'm only using the stock tubes at this point. You can probably get a more "tube" sound from other tubes (which I intend to try soon). And from my understanding, you can get much better tubes for the Valhalla 2 that blow away the stock tubes (and I assume the Vali).
> 
> Which do I like better? I like the Vali's richness and thick nature (again, some of the vocal placement sounds amazing), but I like the really detailed music and open soundstage of the Valhalla 2 and tube upgrade options.


 

 Yup, that's a pretty close to my impression of the two amps.
 The Valhalla 2 does get a bit more tube-like with different tubes, but never as much as a Bottlehead Crack or, I believe, the Vali 1 (it's been a while since I sold the Vali 1). FYI, the Vali 2 is less tube-like than the Vali 1.
  
 As for tube rolling, I tried the Matsu****a Nationals, it was great with the X2 (I love the X2 with the Valhalla 2) but it just wasn't good with the HD800 (too sibilant). The EH6CG7 was one of the better options for cheap. In the end I liked the Bugle Boys the best. It has the best mids/vocals among the tubes I tried, and the most 3D like (the bass could be a bit loose, but this just may be the quality of my tubes, who knows).


----------



## Metrops

Do you people use Hi or Low Gain on the Valhalla 2 for the HD 700


----------



## GumbyDammit223

metrops said:


> Do you people use Hi or Low Gain on the Valhalla 2 for the HD 700


 

 I use low, typically 10-11 o'clock


----------



## r2muchstuff

The Vali 2 with a 6SN7 tube via a socker saver combined with an adapter becomes very special.
  
 JMTC & YMMV,
 r2


----------



## r2muchstuff

The Valhalla 2, with the 600mA heater spec, may run 6SN7 tubes, however the 6N1P tubes, that were designed to be electrically identical to the 6SN7GT, will work without adapters and are a fun less expensive option.
  
 IMHO,
 r2


----------



## Metrops

I got CCCP 6H1N tubes (driver) with my Valhalla 2


----------



## r2muchstuff

metrops said:


> I got CCCP 6H1N tubes (driver) with my Valhalla 2


 

 Several flavors such Anode, Novosibirsk, Voskhod as well as varing ages/constructions are available.  The 6N3P tubes, in several flavors are also available, including Reflektor.  The 6N3P requires an adapter and are rated 300mA heater.  I like a pair of 1977 6N3P Reflektors for the Beyerdynamic T90 due to treble control.
  
 JMTC,
 r2


----------



## potatography

stuck limo said:


> The Vali is more tubey and sounds richer and thicker. More mid-bass, so it's a little more boomy (you know what I'm talking about). I believe a smaller soundstage. Everything sounds really really good on the Vali. I was listening to music right before I sold it and the vocals were just hanging there in the headspace. It almost made me not sell it. I haven't really had that experience (yet) with the Valhalla 2.
> 
> Like I said, to my ears, the Vahalla 2 is much more solid state-ish and it will give you more options, so keep in mind I'm only using the stock tubes at this point. You can probably get a more "tube" sound from other tubes (which I intend to try soon). And from my understanding, you can get much better tubes for the Valhalla 2 that blow away the stock tubes (and I assume the Vali).
> 
> Which do I like better? I like the Vali's richness and thick nature (again, some of the vocal placement sounds amazing), but I like the really detailed music and open soundstage of the Valhalla 2 and tube upgrade options.


 
  
  


h2rulz said:


> Yup, that's a pretty close to my impression of the two amps.
> The Valhalla 2 does get a bit more tube-like with different tubes, but never as much as a Bottlehead Crack or, I believe, the Vali 1 (it's been a while since I sold the Vali 1). FYI, the Vali 2 is less tube-like than the Vali 1.
> 
> As for tube rolling, I tried the Matsu****a Nationals, it was great with the X2 (I love the X2 with the Valhalla 2) but it just wasn't good with the HD800 (too sibilant). The EH6CG7 was one of the better options for cheap. In the end I liked the Bugle Boys the best. It has the best mids/vocals among the tubes I tried, and the most 3D like (the bass could be a bit loose, but this just may be the quality of my tubes, who knows).


 
  
 Thanks man ... I guess there is no point for me to upgrade then.
  
 I already have a massive soundstage with my HD800S, so I value the tubey goodness of the Vali 1 more than the increased soundstage. At least for the kind of music I listen to. 
  
 Cheers.


----------



## George Taylor

Hi there folks. I have a question that may have been brought up before, but please put up with my newness to both tube amps and this site. I've had the Valhalla 2 for a couple of months now, and while I do enjoy it, I can't help but wonder what I can get out of it with tubes different than what came with it. Mainly wondering about matching tubes with a pair of LDC-2s. I have those, and a couple of other planars, but I'm not sure I'm getting the best out of this amp as far as they go. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.


----------



## digitaldave

Can anyone recommend some 2.0 speakers for use with a Valhalla 2 and my PC & Mac? Audioengine A2 seem like a good option, any others I should be looking at? I'd like to keep the cost equal to or lower than the A2s.

Thanks,

Dave.


----------



## stuck limo

digitaldave said:


> Can anyone recommend some 2.0 speakers for use with a Valhalla 2 and my PC & Mac? Audioengine A2 seem like a good option, any others I should be looking at? I'd like to keep the cost equal to or lower than the A2s.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Dave.


 

 Klipsch R-15M or Edifier S1000DB Audiophile Active Bookshelf Speakers are among the top rated (from what I hear/read online).


----------



## hawkwindx

New Valhalla 2 owner here. I've had it for only a few days. Really enjoying it!
  
 My setup is:  Imac -->USB -->Fiio E17k Alpen 2 DAC-->Valhalla 2 -->Sennheiser HD650
  
 I'm not able to afford a DAC from Schiit and maybe I don't need one. Just got the HD650's and Valhalla 2 at the same time.
  
 The tubes I received with the amp:
  
 output tubes
 taller size tubes
 6H6n
 III(hexagon)77
 CAE(UPSIDE DOWN U)AHO
 8 CCCP
  
 input tubes
 small ones
 6H1n
 IV(theta, or O with horizontal line in the middle)72
 K

 I took a picture of them before installing them. 
  
 I've read this entire thread and it goes back a couple years. Has anyone found any impressive tubes lately?
  
 Also, I've edited this post to point out the importance of being careful about listening at loud levels as it will damage your hearing. It causes tinnitus. Having good headphones and amp allows to listen to details at low to mid volumes.
  
 This setup sounds great! Thanks to everyone for your input to this thread and others on Head-Fi!


----------



## adydula

Just ordered a Vahalla 2 yesterday and look forward to comparing to my Bottlehead Crack / Speedball OTL.
 The headphones I use the most are high impedance Beyer T1's.
  
 The Bottlehead does a wonderful job with them, but I always wanted to try another OTL amp with more available power
 at 600 ohms Z and the Vahalla 2 has more power available.
  
 Its spec'd at 450 mw RMS, this is alot more available than the Crack, but the sensitivity of the headphpones comes into play
 here and may not be needed, but having them side by side for comparison is the only way to really tell how they both "work".
  
 Besides getting new toys is always fun!!
  
 Stay tuned..
 Alex


----------



## adydula

Just got the Vahalla 2 from Schitt Audio and been listening for about 4 hours....over several headphones from 35 ohms to 600 Ohms....

 I will do some comparisons between it and my Bottlehead Crack,,,seems like these are two of the low end cost OTL tube amps and very well reviewed for higher impedance headphones..

 The V2 has been re-designed to handle or drive a wider than "usual" range of impedances....the Bottlehead doesnt do very well with lower Z heeadphones, but it has worked very well with my Beyer T90 and Beyer T1's.

 I havent done any side by side comparisons yet, just tried 4 headphones from 35 ohm, 80 ohm, 300 ohm and 600 ohm in the V2.

 The shocking surprise of all these was the 80 ohm Beyer DT1350, small portable sealed headphones. Since I have had the T90's (my favorite until the T1's arrived) the 1350's have just sat there with little or no use. Tyl over at innerfidelity liked these a lot....wall of fame etc....

 With the V2 these 80 ohm cans blew me away at the sound I was hearing! Absolutley stunning. For small cans the soundstage was always a bit "cramped" due to their small transducers IMO. But listening to the orignal Trinity Series from Cowboy Junkies, the bass coming out from these headphones rivaled even my T1's.....really shocked me. Also the soundstage was stunning as well they just seemed to disappear on my head..that good!

 I will do some side by side comparison to my Bottlehead Crack, its hard to find a good comparison between these two OTL tube amps....stay tuned.

 Alex


----------



## adydula

Well, I spent a few hours this morning setting up and level matching the volume settings on my Crack with Speedball and the new Schitt Vahalla2.

I have not done my usual blind AB tests yet, but I can tell you what I "think" I am hearing so far....

I use a 1Khz test tone and set levels to 80db and then 85db, the difference between the two isn't that much physically on the actual vol knobs but its a really "perceptible" loud difference to me actually listening.

The crack is a little more difficult to actually set this level at, 80db no issues,but 85 seem to be in a range on my Crack that takes some attention to setting it up. I use a SPL meter I have had for years and a home-brew acoustic coupler to set the levels. With both set to these 2 levels I noticed it was easier to tell differences IMO at the lower spl level. Weird.

Sometimes when comparing amps, there is the tendency to crank up the volume level to make u for deficiencies so setting the levels to match is really important.....

Listening to my ususal favorites and demo tracks there is an immediate wow such a difference....between the two....I bought the Vahalla 2 because I wanted to see what it sounds like and it has more power available at 300 and 600 ohms compared to the Crack. My headphones range from 35 to 600 ohms. The Crack of course is not designed to work with low impedance headphones but the Vahalla 2 is. Schitt doesn't state its the cats meow with the lower headphones but it should be much better than their first generation of this amp.

Like with many new purchases there is that "human" element that wants the new stuff to be "better"...or you might have just wasted several hundred dollars! I am no exception.

So I have only had the Schitt Vahalla2 for less than 2 days and about 4 hours of ply time with the stock tubes while my good old friend the Crack I have had for almost two years and a dozen sets of tubes. It has been my go to amp for my high impedance headphones.

Listening to the Vahalla 2 I was amazed at how clear and transparent it sounds, using the higher gain setting, recommended for higher impedances. It has more than enough power and doesn't strain at all driving the 300 or 600 ohm Beyers. The sound is very clear, open and its easy to articulate musical instruments. Very much like a solid state amp, than a tube amp. Really shocking in a good way to me. Most good amps IMO take some real listening and "straining" to hear differences which to me tells me that they are really close in performance.

Comparing to the Crack the immediate thing is the soundstage on the Crack seems more open and wider...but more recessed. The drum beats seemed to be "louder" or maybe more "boomy" not a bad or poor bass but just more fuller and "wider" in sound. The Vahalla 2 bass was less thick, but very well done too. My first and immediate impression was the Crack soundstage being so different and musical was startling. Depending on what material you play and how It was recorded they both sound very well.

Playing rock music like the remastered "The Doors" the drum whacks on the Vahalla 2 will make your ears bleed...they are really, really well recreated on my T1's a 10 out of a 10 IMO. The Crack is just a little behind a 9 out of a 10 to me. That said the overall presentation eeks out to the Crack...its just softer and more musical to me.

Now all this was with the higher impedance T1's....when I shifted to a lower impedance set of headphones the story changes quite a lot.

I have a set of Beyer DT1350's and they just sit there not being used much since I have had my T90s and T1's and several other headhones, Tyl over at innerfidelity liked these a lot, which is saying something (LOL). They have small transducers, don't fit over my ears and when playing with other SS amps they have a smaller soundstage and presence to me. The T90s and T1's blow them away.

Well that was until the Vahalla 2 arrived..

I have tried these 80 ohm headphones on the Crack and immediately I know this was not the amp for these headphones they played but well....not that well at all. So the Crack is relegated to the 300+ plus range for sure.

The Schitt Vahalla 2 was re-designed to work with a wider range of headphones and this it does very well IMO. Actually when I put the DT1350s into the V2, I was really blown away...playing the original Trinity Series of Cowboy Junkies the bass response and soundstage and ambient background reverberation was better than any presentation of these headphones on any other amp I have. It shocked me so much that I had to check to see if I had these on my head!! These were played with the lower gain setting. The really low bass was actually to me better than the T1's! 

So I will next setup up a blind listening session and invite a few audio friends over and test them to see what they hear in a blind test environment. its the only way to me to see how they both stand up.

I like building stuff, and the Bottlehead Crack with the Speedball mod to me is one of the best tube OTL amps that is affordable and competes with higher priced amps and does so very well with high impedance headhones, if you have this amp you cant go wrong, its that nice. (speedball is a must :>).....).

That said if you like playing around with amps, and I do, I had to try this amp, it has gobs of power at 300 ohms (800mw RMS). The Crack volume knob has to be cranked up 3/4 or so where as the Vahalla2 is only cranked up to 1/3 of the way, but to be fair the gain has to be factored in here. But the Vahalla 2 will make most higher impedance cans dance very well.

If you don't like building stuff the Vahalla 2 is a good choice, its well built, solid and the stock tubes are to me just wonderful. I feel no need to go chasing NOS tubes. The price you pay for them is getting well, ridiculous IMO. Schitt will sell you a et of 4 for $40, now that's a great deal to me.

I am not going to get rid of my Crack for sure and the Vahalla 2 is also going to be around for a long time as well....both companies have real winners here....

All the best
Alex


----------



## h2rulz

@adydula
 You pretty much mirror my thoughts on the two amps. They have their own strengths, which you pointed out pretty accurately IMO.
 But, as you probably already know, both do change/improve with different tubes. The Brimar CV4003 improved the bass for the Crack/speedball, and the Bugle boys smoothed out the overall presentation, and added a bit a musicality to the Val2 (still not quite the Crack/speedball level).
  
 Yes, both are winners. I'm keeping them both as well.


----------



## yangian

adydula said:


> Well, I spent a few hours this morning setting up and level matching the volume settings on my Crack with Speedball and the new Schitt Vahalla2.
> 
> I have not done my usual blind AB tests yet, but I can tell you what I "think" I am hearing so far....
> 
> ...




Thanks, enjoy reading them. But VW's stock tubes are really bad.


----------



## adydula

I moved the Vahalla 2 to a different room, using a different pc as the player with Foobar 2000 and Jriver (an older MC18 version). Tried two different dacs, one asynchronous, on not, both USB of course. Reason I did this at first was with the Beyer DT1350's 80 ohms, there is an audible hiss on high gain, and Schitt suggested trying a different source, so i did that and went as far as moving out of the area, in case there was any RF interference etc.
  
 The DT1350's at 80 ohms really should be played in the V2 in the low gain position as designed. In this position there is NO hiss or hum. So this is a minor thing IMO, but being anal I wanted to make sure the new toy was indeed ok. (5 year warranty..so this becomes a really moot point).
  
 The reason I bring this up is the pc latop in the other room is a HP I7 Spectre with SSD and its internal dac is 48khz, but I use external 44.1Khz dacs so there is no re-sampling etc...what the source is, is the ouput.
  
 I was listening with Foobar 2000 and then tried JRiver...there shouldnt be any audible difference, even Foobar folk state this all things being equal....BUT there are so many settings and adjustments that you need to be careful setting your player...
  
 The JRiver side really stood out to me as open, clear, transparent, that old adage, the veil is removed thing....in spades IMO.
  
 I spent three hours just being immersed in the great sound I was hearing with my T1's...its that holographic sounding playback that many of us look for in presentation...It was so good with the DAC and V2 and the T1's its hard to imagine anything better sounding.....yeah I know....theres always that desire to see what if...
  
 The result here was this was even better than my Bottlehead Crack with Speedball, which is a very nice pairing with the T1's....
  
 I was thinking of updating the dac to a multibit, but honestly right now there is no need...time to just enjoy this new amp with the T1's and smile!
  
 Alex


----------



## fredmad

I've been flailing about trying to find a way to improve the sound in my current pairing of Cayin N5 source with Beyerdynamic T51p.  I know this sounds strictly portable but it's mostly for my nightstand.  I perked up when I saw @adydula mention the 1350 pairing with the Valhalla 2 since these headphones are often compared to the ones I have.  Do you think the V2 would make sense with what I have?  I know sound is subjective and improvements are relative but if you have a sense of how this might work then I'd really be interested.  
  
 thanks,
 Jonathan


----------



## r2muchstuff

fredmad said:


> I've been flailing about trying to find a way to improve the sound in my current pairing of Cayin N5 source with Beyerdynamic T51p.  I know this sounds strictly portable but it's mostly for my nightstand.  I perked up when I saw @adydula mention the 1350 pairing with the Valhalla 2 since these headphones are often compared to the ones I have.  Do you think the V2 would make sense with what I have?  I know sound is subjective and improvements are relative but if you have a sense of how this might work then I'd really be interested.
> 
> thanks,
> Jonathan


 
 The Beyerdynamic DT 1350 does work well with the Valhalla 2, especially with less warm tubes.
  
 However, it works great with the Vali 2 also, same tubes or adapted to 6SN7 tube.  For bed side, a great choice.  You could spend a bit more and add a Modi Multibit 
  
 JMTC,
 r2


----------



## fredmad

One reason the Valhalla 2 caught my eye was the part about playing nicely with lower impedance headphones.  The Beyer 1350's mentioned are 80 ohm and my 51p's are 60 ohm.  This feature seemed to distinguish the Valhalla 2, at least in what I've read so far.  I was also attracted to the idea of true tube vs. hybrid (and so was looking at the DarkVoice and Little Dot mkiii).  I'll look more closely at the Vali 2.  Not sure if I'm ready to double upgrade though so I might look/click away if I see anything related to Modi Multibit : )
 Thanks @r2muchstuff


----------



## r2muchstuff

fredmad said:


> One reason the Valhalla 2 caught my eye was the part about playing nicely with lower impedance headphones.  The Beyer 1350's mentioned are 80 ohm and my 51p's are 60 ohm.  This feature seemed to distinguish the Valhalla 2, at least in what I've read so far.  I was also attracted to the idea of true tube vs. hybrid (and so was looking at the DarkVoice and Little Dot mkiii).  I'll look more closely at the Vali 2.  Not sure if I'm ready to double upgrade though so I might look/click away if I see anything related to Modi Multibit : )
> Thanks @r2muchstuff


 
 Valhalla 2
 Output Impedance:  , 3.5 ohms (lo gain), 14 ohms (hi gain)
 Maximum Power, 50 ohms: 180mW RMS per channel
  
 Vali 2
 Output Impedance: 1.2 ohms in low gain mode, 5.8 ohms in high gain mode
 Maximum Power, 50 ohms: 650mW RMS per channel
  
 Valhalla is OTL so yes all tubes and Vali 2 hybrid so your point is taken.
  
 On playing well with lower impedance headphones, the Vali 2 specs suggest that it is a better match.  Lower out put impedance and more power at 50 ohms.  The Valhalla 2 on high gain is over the "1/8 suggestion" for out put impedance for both the 1350 & 51p. Valhalla 2 low gain at 180mW RMS is fine for these phones , so high gain is not necessary.
  
 Either way you should be happy.
  
 My night time chair rig is iPod (ALAC) digital via Pure Dock > coax > Modi multibit > Vali 2 (6SN7 tube) > DT 1350, Sennheiser Amperior (18 ohm), Grado SR 325e  or various other higher ohm phones.  Really enjoy the 1350/Amperior/Grado from this kit.
  
 YMMV & IMHO,
 r2


----------



## adydula

Sound pressure level: 109 dB (1 mW / 500 Hz)Max. SPL: 129 dB (100 mW / 500 Hz)
  
  
 Even with 180 mw you can max out the capabilities of the 1350's....
  
 I listened again last night and they work so magical with this amp...
  
 If your going to stay with low impedance cans then maybe a different amp should be in your auditioning.....most of mine are 300 ohms or higher, hence
 the Vahalla 2 and BH Crack...the 1350 pairing was a total surprise and with 8 head amps here in house this is the best one yet!!
  
 Alex


----------



## gug42

So, for you, the Valhalla 2 is the amp to go because of it's versatility  ?
  
 Thx in advance


----------



## Mr Rick

So, I'm considering adding a tube speaker amp to my system. I thought the Valhalla 2 might be a good preamp for such a system.
  
 Is anyone using the Valhalla 2 as a preamp for a tube speaker amp??


----------



## vocalstrance

I am currently using the Valhalla 2 as a preamp for my Bob Latino M125 monoblocks. Works great sounds great. If only it had a remote, but I rarely desire to adjust the volume, so getting up to do so is rare.


----------



## stuck limo

Here's a shot of what I enjoy listening to at night now:


----------



## Jacobh

Looks like the Valhalla 2 is available again in black on the Schiit site.  I don't think the option was there a few days ago.  I'm not sure if I prefer it in silver or not.


----------



## GumbyDammit223

jacobh said:


> Looks like the Valhalla 2 is available again in black on the Schiit site.  I don't think the option was there a few days ago.  I'm not sure if I prefer it in silver or not.


 

 If you're planning on pairing with another piece of Schiit, might want to check to see if it's available in black too.  I see that the Bifrost Multibit is also available in black.  Too bad they weren't available a year ago because that's what I would've purchased.  Silver still looks cool, but I think the black would have looked great on my darkened glass table.  Wish they'd make that color option more widely available on their other products.


----------



## D Smith

I have a black Valhalla and it looks great. However, I've held back on getting a Saga until it becomes available in black, if ever. That's the downside of having a black Schiit product and you have plans to match it with another.


----------



## Jacobh

d smith said:


> I have a black Valhalla and it looks great. However, I've held back on getting a Saga until it becomes available in black, if ever. That's the downside of having a black Schiit product and you have plans to match it with another.


 
  
 Arguably, that's good for your wallet...


----------



## lugnut

d smith said:


> I have a black Valhalla and it looks great. However, I've held back on getting a Saga until it becomes available in black, if ever. That's the downside of having a black Schiit product and you have plans to match it with another.


 
 Has anyone asked Schiit who does their powder coating ? A lot of these places will do one-offs for individuals ?


----------



## Jacobh

I've seen other posts/sites where people have had this done.  I think you could bring it to any powder coat place, but it would probably void your warranty.  My understanding of the process is that these places tend to batch things, so you might have to wait a little while as well.


----------



## GumbyDammit223

jacobh said:


> I've seen other posts/sites where people have had this done.  I think you could bring it to any powder coat place, but it would probably void your warranty.  My understanding of the process is that these places tend to batch things, so you might have to wait a little while as well.


 

 Are the black Schiit boxes powder coated or black anodized?  Thought they were anodized.


----------



## Jacobh

Powder coated: http://www.head-fi.org/t/690198/black-schiit-or-our-suppliers-mistake-is-your-um-benefit


----------



## GumbyDammit223

jacobh said:


> Powder coated: http://www.head-fi.org/t/690198/black-schiit-or-our-suppliers-mistake-is-your-um-benefit


 

 Ahh, ok.  If one of our suppliers did that to us, those parts would be rejected immediately and the vendor would remedy it on their nickel...and be lucky if they got future business from us.


----------



## Jacobh

Yeah, there isn't a lot of detail on the negotiations.  Maybe the supplier didn't charge them and just said throw them away instead of shipping back, or they agreed on a lower price and Schiit determined they could still sell them at a profit. 
  
 For all we know they agreed going forward if they had a batch of aluminum with some cosmetic damages that they could offer to powder coat them and sell them to Schiit at a discount in batches.  That might explain why the black units keep periodically coming up for sale.  Otherwise it seems surprising they would keep making the same mistake.


----------



## GumbyDammit223

jacobh said:


> Yeah, there isn't a lot of detail on the negotiations.  Maybe the supplier didn't charge them and just said throw them away instead of shipping back, or they agreed on a lower price and Schiit determined they could still sell them at a profit.
> 
> For all we know they agreed going forward if they had a batch of aluminum with some cosmetic damages that they could offer to powder coat them and sell them to Schiit at a discount in batches.  That might explain why the black units keep periodically coming up for sale.  Otherwise it seems surprising they would keep making the same mistake.


 

 Good point on potential minor cosmetic damage - I'm dealing with that right now with the lasers I've been building.


----------



## Softable

Just got the Valhalla 2 in black with my Jot
(First post long time lurking!)


----------



## GumbyDammit223

Cute!  Have fun with your new baby!!


----------



## Softable

I currently have the LCD 2 fazor, and comparing them with the jot I don't hear very much of a difference or the tube sound. I am expecting this as the Valhalla 2 is an OTL tube amp and doesn't exactly go well with high efficiency planars. If this were paired with the hd800 or hd800s would it pair much better and give more tube sound to these high impedance cans?
Thanks


----------



## Metrops

softable said:


> Just got the Valhalla 2 in black with my Jot
> (First post long time lurking!)


 
  
 It looks good, however the volume knob is just awful and it completely puts me off


----------



## Jacobh

metrops said:


> It looks good, however the volume knob is just awful and it completely puts me off




I thought so to from pictures, but I think it looks better in person.


----------



## r2muchstuff

metrops said:


> It looks good, however the volume knob is just awful and it completely puts me off


 
 Very mid 70's Sansui.
  
 IMHO,
 r2
  
 Edit: I prefer the "Silver", it matches my vintage stuffs


----------



## hawkwindx

The Valhalla 2 in black looks sharp. I like the volume knob "silver".


----------



## r2muchstuff (Apr 30, 2017)

A quick report on running all Novosibirisk tubes in the Valhalla 2.

Power tubes: 6N6P Novosibirsk - Gold Grid & Pin - NOS 1978

Driver tubes : 6N1P-V (6Н1ПВ) Novosibirsk OTK  - NOS - 1958 - Gold Grid

This combo is surprising with the Beyerdynamic T1.2, Good bass, balanced mids and treble that is just short of too much.  I still prefer warmer driver tubes with these phones but this is not a bad combination.

Now with the Oppo PM 3 the Novosibirsk combo is really sounding great.  Just the right balance bottom to top.

Experimenting,
Ain't this stuff fun,

YMMV,
r2

Edit - The 6N1P-V sure do glow pretty


----------



## Azurik

Guys I need some help. 

Up to now I'm only using the Valhalla 2 for my headphones. I'm looking to connect bookshelf speakers to my setup. 

1- do i need active or passive speakers?
2- do I need some with rca connectors?
3- if so, will I need 2 rca to 1 as the amp only got a red and white output?

Thanks


----------



## D Smith

Azurik said:


> Guys I need some help.
> 
> Up to now I'm only using the Valhalla 2 for my headphones. I'm looking to connect bookshelf speakers to my setup.
> 
> ...


Hi Azurik.
1- Yes you will need active speakers unless you buy an separate amplifier for passive speakers.
2- Your active speakers can have any sort of connector. Some professional monitors only have 1/4" jacks and XLR but there are adapter cables that will work.
3. You just need two cables , one per speaker.

Good luck. I use my Valhalla as a preamp feeding into a power amp and passive speakers and it's a great combination.


----------



## Jacobh

D Smith said:


> Good luck. I use my Valhalla as a preamp feeding into a power amp and passive speakers and it's a great combination.



I didn't get it to be a pre-amp, but I have found it sounds really great as a pre-amp in a similar setup.  Significantly better than the amp alone.


----------



## dgindlespergerd

Just picked one up used today and going to try it a on few headphones tonight... Thanks for all the great reviews as that is why I got it....

Dan


----------



## Bill Why Man

I'm really keen on getting one of the Valhalla 2's. I prefer listening to vinyl—not digital. I have a vintage McIntosh MA5100 with a built-in headphone amp, but if I can plug this in to my system with vinyl, I think there's a lot of potential there.

I currently have Sennheiser 558's but will likely move toward 600's if I do this. Does anyone else run a Valhalla 2 through an older amp for vinyl listening? I'd love to hear about your experiences. Thank you very much from a headphone amp newbie.

Cheers,

Bill


----------



## dgindlespergerd

OK, 3 days in with the Valhalla 2 and really loving this amp. It has the warm fuzzies from a tube amp, but soo so clear. I was using a Biggermouth A1 and liked it, the Valhalla is just much warmer without losing any of the clarity of sound. One of my favorite vocals to listen to is Simply Red "if you don't know me by now" because the chorus is layered so well. I can still pick out each voice and they are wonderful. 
I hope this makes sense to you large brained audiophiles out there 

Dan


----------



## ahmadfaizadnan

dgindlespergerd said:


> OK, 3 days in with the Valhalla 2 and really loving this amp. It has the warm fuzzies from a tube amp, but soo so clear. I was using a Biggermouth A1 and liked it, the Valhalla is just much warmer without losing any of the clarity of sound. One of my favorite vocals to listen to is Simply Red "if you don't know me by now" because the chorus is layered so well. I can still pick out each voice and they are wonderful.
> I hope this makes sense to you large brained audiophiles out there
> 
> Dan



Glad you like it! I had it pair with TH900 in the past and it sounded amazing! But I changed the stock tube to ECC88 for a warmer signature.


----------



## wantan

ahmadfaizadnan said:


> But I changed the stock tube to ECC88 for a warmer signature.



So true, I'm using the Gold Lion 6922 and they are very sweer, very clear and and have very smooth treble.


----------



## nocturaline

wantan said:


> So true, I'm using the Gold Lion 6922 and they are very sweer, very clear and and have very smooth treble.


Same here. I switched to the JJ E88CC Gold, and now the Valhalla 2 sounds like a real tube amp.


----------



## ahmadfaizadnan

wantan said:


> So true, I'm using the Gold Lion 6922 and they are very sweer, very clear and and have very smooth treble.





nocturaline said:


> Same here. I switched to the JJ E88CC Gold, and now the Valhalla 2 sounds like a real tube amp.



The amp benefits from a warmer tube. With the stock tube, some SS amps like matrix hpa3b and Cavalli Liquid Carbon are warmer than valhalla 2


----------



## notfitforpublic

Is anyone using the Valhalla 2 as a preamp for another headphone amp? Been thinking of running the preamp out to my rhead amp for a little tube goodness to the SS rhead amp. After attempting it myself, (Valhalla 2 pre-outs to rHead input) caused a DC Offset error on the rHead. Anyone have any insight? Would one use the Valhalla 2 volume control or the rHead volume for adjustment? Should one of them have the volume on full while adjusting with the other?

Any insight would be appreciated.


----------



## caseyjames

wantan said:


> So true, I'm using the and they are very sweer, very clear and and have very smooth treble.



I may have to try these as I'm looking for something a touch smoother than what the stock tubes provide. Not soupy or gooey, just a bit...smoother. But before that, I want to try out a new preamp that I'm adding to the chain.


----------



## Bill Why Man

nocturaline said:


> Same here. I switched to the JJ E88CC Gold, and now the Valhalla 2 sounds like a real tube amp.



I just installed a pair of JJ E88CC Golds, as well. I'm stunned how much smoother it sounds. The soundstage is stellar. I'm hearing old LPs like new. I'm sure there are better tubes for more money, but I highly recommend the JJ Golds for those who want a significant sound improvement for a relatively small investment (after matching and shipping, about $30/tube).

Tubular Bells,

Bill


----------



## BobG55 (Jan 7, 2018)

Hi everyone,

I just bought a Valhalla 2 from Schiit Audio to go with my HD600.  This will most likely be my set up for quite a while. I just want a modest set up & am no longer investing in high end audio. In the last month and a half or so I've sold,  all of my previous headphones & headphone amps save for my favourite HD600 headphone.

Since my overall sound preference is transparent and detailed especially with the highs and transient sounds so I did some research for a tube that would help generate that sound. Brent Jessee sells the Telefunken 7308 from $300+ - $499 a pair & considers these to be the "Holy Grail" of transparent, clear, detailed & soundstage sound; but, I went down that road before with another amp & don't want to do that anymore.  IMHO it's not worth it.

So, are the Genalex Gold Lions for example, a clean, transparent sounding tube.  I guess I should say I don't want a "warm" sounding tube is what I'm trying to say.  I don't like the "warm, overall" sound in general.

So I'm soliciting your &/ or your recommendations, *please & thank you.*


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## volly

BobG55 said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> I just bought a Valhalla 2 from Schiit Audio to go with my HD600.  This will most likely be my set up for quite a while. I just want a modest set up & am no longer investing in high end audio. In the last month and a half or so I've sold,  all of my previous headphones & headphone amps save for my favourite HD600 headphone.
> 
> ...



Would love to hear you impressions of the Valhalla 2 and the 600's, I'm loving the Vali 2 with my 600's for a long while now but would love to hear it out of the Valhalla 2!

As for tubes, I'd probably give the Russian tubes a try, one tube that might fit your taste would be PCC88 Tungrams, a very very clear tube, great extension on both ends and with all that tube goodness. 

Personally I've fallen in love with the 6J1P-EV tubes, you'd need an adapter (Two in your case!) 5670 TO ECC88, quite cheap and usually comes in pairs! 

Looking forward to your impressions!


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## nocturaline

BobG55 said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> I just bought a Valhalla 2 from Schiit Audio to go with my HD600.  This will most likely be my set up for quite a while. I just want a modest set up & am no longer investing in high end audio. In the last month and a half or so I've sold,  all of my previous headphones & headphone amps save for my favourite HD600 headphone.
> 
> ...



The Valhalla 2 works very well with the HD650, so I'm assuming it would be the same with the HD600. As for tubes, I switched the input tubes for JJ E88CC Gold. They're generally around $25 a piece, and are a huge improvement over the tubes that come with the Valhalla 2. They sound definitely warmer.


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## BobG55

volly said:


> Would love to hear you impressions of the Valhalla 2 and the 600's, I'm loving the Vali 2 with my 600's for a long while now but would love to hear it out of the Valhalla 2!
> 
> As for tubes, I'd probably give the Russian tubes a try, one tube that might fit your taste would be PCC88 Tungrams, a very very clear tube, great extension on both ends and with all that tube goodness.
> 
> ...



Thanks for your recommendations volly.  My Valhalla2 will be shipped during the Jan.16th week.


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## BobG55

nocturaline said:


> The Valhalla 2 works very well with the HD650, so I'm assuming it would be the same with the HD600. As for tubes, I switched the input tubes for JJ E88CC Gold. They're generally around $25 a piece, and are a huge improvement over the tubes that come with the Valhalla 2. They sound definitely warmer.


Hi nocturaline,  
Thanks for your recommendations.  Like I told volly my amp will be shipped during the week of Jan. 16th.


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## Bill Why Man

The Sennheiser 600—Schiit Valhalla 2 combo is stellar. I also made the JJ Gold replacements, and it transformed the sound into a holographic range. Classic RL-cut Band LPs sound brilliant, as does Kendrick Lamar's latest album. I can't recommend this combination enough.

Best,

Bill


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