Ok here is Jason Stoddard’s latest Vali design. Vali has a long lineage. The OG Vali, Vali 2, Vali 2+, Vali 2++ and now Vali 3. Phew! That’s a lot of Vali’s and I have had them all. The best of the bunch for me was the Vali 2+. A ton of tube types and adding adapters a ton more options. The thing that caught my eye with Vali 3 was the new re-design layout and the upping the plate voltage to 100 volts.


Simple Design - New Case Cover

Nothing like moving the bar higher. Tubes like voltage. Tubes can operate better at higher voltages, linearity and gain etc. Most of the low-cost headphone amps run at lesser voltages. So having 100 volts is potentially better all around. Schiits Lyr 3 and Lyr + uses 100 volts. . Vali 3 now joins that club.

Vali has come from 45 volts to 60volts and now 100 volts.

Even with upping the voltage the overall THD is about the same as Vali 2 ++. How does Jason accomplish this? Well, he states “That’s because we chose to reduce the overall loop gain through additional degeneration, which resulted in similar measurements”. Engineering speak. But even with this Vali 3 doesn’t measure as well as other Schiit amps like Magni or Midgard. It measures more like a tube amp (1,000-10,000x higher distortion than Magni). So, if you’re looking for a measurements amp this is not it. But, yup always a but…. if Vali 3 sounds great and its measurements are what they are. What does that tell you? Hmmm.

Schiit moved the ¼ phone jack over to the left side. They did this on Magni first if I recall correctly. Folks complained about the volume knob and the phone jack being too close to each other. Well, Schiit listened and its way over on the left. Issue solved if that was an issue for you. Smile.

Take a look at the pictures of Vali 3 and Vali 2+. Totally reworked layout. Count the electrolytic caps. Better circuit flow according to Jason. Same power supply as prior Vali 2++. Power is still totally linear. No Switchers here. Slow turn on and fast turn off to protect cans from transients.


Vali 3 Vali 2 +


Jason thinks this amp is “cute”. Actually, he states is “stunningly beautiful”. I think he is really proud of its new top case with the “dimpled” or “depressed” tube socket area. What a simple way to get most all of the tube heat out and away. And its easy to remove the tube, versus adding a socket saver! Simple elegance to me. Only 2 screws vs the 6 on Vali 2+ and 2++.


The “Simple Dimple”

Schiit’s description states “Class-Crushing Tech”. That’s due to the 100 volts for a $149 product. It’s a Class AB amp with a bipolar output stage. A hybrid for sure. It uses Schiit’s own Coherence current feedback “magic’ (topology). No op amps. Discrete. Cap Coupled. I opened the case and there are no less than 12 electrolytic capacitors. A decent ALPS pot. A real ceramic tube socket. Not plastic. All parts to my trained eye are first rate. And for those that come from the BH Crack cap coupled family….no its not easy to muck with the coupling caps! It would definitely void the warranty. Not a good idea here at all.

I would not recommend taking of the cover at all. For reviews I do for internal pictures. The volume knob was very difficult to remove. It looks like it might be super glued on. You could easily damage your volume pot. No need to go inside…”no user serviceable parts inside” is a warning on the rear lower chassis.


No User Serviceable Parts Inside

Even though the power switch in still on the back the gain switch is on the front vs the Vali 2+ and Vali 2++. I like this.

Tubes, well now you can plug in that WE 396a directly into the Vali 3. No adapter needed. Vali 3 supports 6N3P tubes at the get go as well as 5670’s, 2C51’s, 6CC42’s, and CV4013’s. A 6N3P comes stock.

Power Specs:



Maybe not enough power for Susvara's but more than enough for 95% + of headphones out there. With all my 6 cans at present 29 ohms to 420 ohms there was never a moment that the cans did not have enough voltage or current to hurt your hearing…..

Low gain is 1X. High gain is 5 (14db). Looking at the specs the output impedance on low gain is .5 ohms and high gain at 1.8 ohms. The specs are indeed better using low gain. In most of my listening I preferred the low gain setting. IMO high gain was just too much for my headphones. The dac I used for most listening has a variable output. Almost like a pre-amp into an amp thing. I also used Schiits Modius E and their MB2. The amp has enough resolution and transparency to me that allows you to discern any dac differences. Which dac is better is going to be subjective as always. Your ears. Your Choice.

For me this is a very nice looking and very capable hybrid tube amp. Not like an BH or other OTL amps. Not at all. But it does have tubey traits and you can hear differences in sound depending on your dac and source material.


Good Stuff Inside!

So how does to compare to my Vali 2+. Lets say I could do with either. The differences with my ears are not that great. Honestly. Both are superb. I did some blind listening and had a hard time discerning between them. With just the Vali 3 I heard more differences changing out tubes. The stock tube as good as it is, the WE396a here is just a tad better all around. Even the Ericsson CV4013 was better. How better. Well for me it was more open and spacious, euphonic etc. Subjective for sure.


Vali 3 with Stock 6N3P vali 2+ with JJ ECC82 Adapter

With Rad 0’s HE1000Se’s and HD 650’s…. the amp was dead silent at max volume with low or high gain. Switching in-between low and high gain at max volume there was no audible clicks. Turning on the amp and off just a slight tick…way down there. Something I would not do normally. I turn down the volume, unplug cans and then power down the amp and other stuff.

Some thoughts on sounds: Stock tube. 6N3P

HD 650, 300 Ohm, 102 mw/db: Dead silent at full volume no music playing low or high gain. With high gain music will rise to ear bleed levels. Great synergy, sweet sounding. Quality of sound dependent on source material, dac etc. Prefer Low gain.

Rad 0, 29 ohm, 98 db/mw: Dead silent at full volume level no music playing low or high gain. With high gain music will rise to ear bleed levels. Great synergy. A bit warmer, darker…more from headphone traits than from the amp. Al di Meola’s “Kiss My Axe” CD was light and airy. Prefer low gain.

Hi-Fi Man He1000SE’s, 35 ohm, 96 db/mw: Dead silent at full volume level no music playing low or high gain. With high gain music will rise to ear bleed levels. These are brighter cans than most. Some folks reporting the Vali 3 is too bright for their ears. For me with these cans this would be exacerbated due to the nature of the He1000SE’s sound profile. IMO this was one of the best pairings. LOW gain. Not HIGH gain. Bass here was the best for accuracy and tonality, timbre…Awestruck at times with these cans and this amp. John Hiatt’s The Best of CD, and the track “Feels Like Rain” was an ethereal experience. Russ Freemans Nocturnal Playground and the track “What She Really Wants” …was a 10. That good IMO.

Changing out tubes IMO is very subjective and a hybrid amp without a tube out is well not as tubey at a full blown OTL like a BH Crack etc. There are differences but again your going to have to decide between that decent stock tube and a WE396a that costs a ton more…..enjoy the journey!


Tubes like this work just fine in the Vali 3. Read the Manual for Compatibility.

In conclusion I think Schiit has another hit on its hands. For the cost of $149, add a Schiit MB2, same format and your home free for many hours of great listening. For me there is enough of that tube influence in the overall sound but still all the clarity and transparency I need. Best of both worlds!

I have no IEMS, and did not use the pre-amp. Vali 3 is built in Texas! The only China part is the wall wort. I like that Schiit supports US companies in California and in Texas.

IMO This is the best Vali yet

Alex

I have been doing this stuff for so many years and still get excited when new stuff comes out especially headphones, amps and dacs…There are so many great products out there and Nitsch Audio came out with a new small form factor Schiit Magni Piety. A lot of us bought into the first run that sold out very quickly. It is an amazing amp for its size and price. It had some wart’s that a potentially bigger Piety brother might address.

Like more power, several gain selections, better volume control and the possibility to have an internal dac making for a nice AIO unit. Well, Nitsch did this with the collaboration of Jason Stoddard, which IMO is one of the best analog audio engineers of our times. Nitsch started selling the new improved bigger brother of the Piety, the Pietus Maximus.



I did not get into this version at first, but always wanted to be able to listen with and compare how this upgraded headphone amp worked. Many reviews and comments already out there and it seems like a real hit. Well…. a quick shoutout to Christian and he provided me with not one, but TWO Pietus Maximus Units, one with the Schiit ESS dac card and the other with the Schiit MB dac card. I told Christian I wanted to compare the two dac versions in a Piety Maximus and could swap out the dacs, but he sent me one of each to make the “experience” a bit easier.

Thanks Christian. As a matter of disclosure, I am not paid and do not receive any special deals. The units will be sent back to Nitsch Sound. All the comments are from my own experience. Your experience and opinions may be vastly different. I respect that. We all hear differently, listen to different music and sources.

The form factor for the Pietus Maximus is the same as Schilit’s Asgard, Jotunheim, Bifrost dacs etc. The larger enclosure allows for more stuff inside, some of much better quality. Nitsch’s website states “with bigger stuff”. Like a nice big Alps RK 27 potentiometer, and internal power supply, no wall wart! One of the nagging things with the smaller form factors is the smaller albeit custom ALPS pot, often has a noisy wiper that often drives me nuts. Good to see this larger Alps RK 27 type pot in the Piety Maximus. Along with these upgrades is a very well-regulated dual power supply, post filtered, and MORE current. Yes! Continuity is included but the programmable output stage has bigger “stuff” too. Like bigger transistor’s.



We now have three gain settings vs two of Piety. This is good. High gain has more current for those lower impedance headphones. Piety Maximus touts 4.6 watts into 16 ohms! Having several gain settings allows for more play or range with the pot so your not stuck in the low end etc.. If the circuit is designed correctly and this is a big deal for me. And in this case, it is. Even works better with IEMS over Piety.

A note on the case color! Awesome! I call this “Nitsch Grey”. The black volume knob has a nice “shiny” dot on it making it easy to see the position of the volume pot! Lovely! The dark lettering to me is well…I wish it was lighter so you could read the labels…small stuff. A step forward from Schiit icons, but need to be able to read that lettering.

The two dac cards available are both Schiit designs. Available from Nitsch installed or buy from Schiit at a later date if your budget precludes this or you just want separates. One thing with this design you can have an internal dac and easily compare with external dacs…makes for a great testbed. Switching dacs with one simple toggle switch. On the forums many folks have questioned the dac quality vs external and even between the two internal offerings.




This was the main reason I want to test both dacs….Testing is a real PIA. So many variables and combinations, easy to screw up, level settings, music etc.…and our own internal bias, likes and dislikes.

I am an analog guy, like numbers and specs, but these are all over-ridden here when it comes to listening. Its all about the music for me. But that analog engineer always wonders about the connection, but don’t get hung up on numbers alone. Numbers make a good baseline and in many cases are meaningful on how an amp will work. How much power across the frequency spectrum, stability, real RMS watts or not. For the most part most modern headphone “stuff” have decent specs…so its back to build quality, how well it integrates into your “use” case and listening….

Do you get lost in the music or nit pick at the parts?

Well Nitsch states Piety Maximus still has the Piety tube like qualities. This is a good thing IMO.

Specs: Internally a 48 volt ampere transformer. Weighs 5 lbs., rugged, solid built like a tank.



So the first listening experience was just AB’ing the two units with the different dacs. Second was comparing the internal ESS and Multibit dacs to similar external ESS and Multibit dacs.

I used several headphones in listening, Final Audio D8000 Pros 60ohms, ZMF Verite Closed 300 ohms, HD 650 344 ohms, Audio Technica ADX 5000 420 ohms, Rosson Audio Designs Rad 0 29 ohms, Hi-Fi Man HE 1000 SE 35 ohms.

The external dacs were a Schiit Modi Multibit 2 and a Schiit Modius E. I also tried a Soekris 2541, a much highly regarded R2R dac.



So, the internal dacs are indeed very different. Having good cans helps to be able to discern any differences, but the music you listen to has a huge bearing on which dac YOU might prefer. For me most of the time I preferred the Schiit ESS 9028 dac over the Schiit Multibit dac. Why? I have grown up with Schilit’s Bifrost for many years. That house sound is burnt into my brain and I liked it for years. When Schiit came out with their Modius E dac I had to try it with a Schiit Midgard and was enamored at how crisp and clean it sounded. Like a veil removed thing. Going back to the MB 2 was like turning on a filter of sorts. So its natural I like the ESS Schiit sound. With warmer of softer recordings, it works so very well here. With Brighter recordings my ear preference shifts back to the MB2. One thing that has stuck out noticeably for me is the ESS dac with this unit is a detail or resolving monster with certain cans like the D8000 Pros and HE 1000 SE and ADX 5000. Nothing goes unheard here. So, for me I would have a Piety Maximus with one or the other dac and buy and external dac of the opposite “flavor” and be able to “easily” switch in between them at will. Best of both worlds.

Schiit uses the words “euphony” and “maximum” space describing the Multibit version and “forward” and “punchy” in the FAQs on the Nitsch website. I agree. This is about as good as I could generalize this very subjective area.

When listening to female vocals like Racheal Price in Lake Street Dive, the Multibit wins hands down for this “euphony” thing…gosh it’s really very sweet, musical etc.…



So how did the internal dacs compare with similar external dacs?

Well, the answer is easy here, the external dacs were better to my ears than the internal versions. I have no earthly idea why, no schematics and what secret sauce in lurking in the two designs is indeed secret.

Setting up for honest testing and AB’ing is a real PITA. Yup, takes time and do diligence. I use a 1khz test tone, set levels at the transducer to get the same dB levels and don’t touch the volume from here on. Set gains similar. I noticed that the SPL levels at the can transducer were several dB different from the internal Schiit MB dac compared to the Schiit external Modi Multibit2. Enough to cause a preference of one over the other just due to the loudness. This was 5 dB measured here. So the volume pot settings were very different between the two units with the two different dac cards. If your not aware of this, its possible you might think one is better than the other just in the level differences…..listener be ware.

How warm do these units get? Well the MB version measured 138 deg on the right side underneath the MB card. The ESS unit measured similar at 133 deg. Having the units setting on top of other gear (off) they measured 102 deg in between the units. Warm and toasty to the touch, but now where near a MJ3!

I spent some time listening with Piety vs Piety Maximus…well they both are great with ZMF Verite Closed cans.. At 80 ohms these dynamic driver headphones did not seem to have any real issue with either amp. Both played very well. Very similar sound profile here. If anything listening to Dave Samuels on the vibraphones maybe a slightly more euphonic openness…used the Piety with my MB2 vs the internal MB in Mazimus…I would pick the Maximus over the Piety here if I had to choose. Worth the extra cost….you decide.

With the D8000 Pros, I actually preferred the Piety over the Maximus, planars vs dynamic drivers…Just a wonderful open clean pairing. IMO World Class. Yup for a $179 amp and $299 MB dac. Could live here for a long time. The Maximus was good, just not as good to my ears. Splitting hairs here, but the D8000 Pros did make this easy for me. This is why I have so many amps!!! LOL!

Listening to the Piety Maximus with a Soekris 2541 dac was an excellent pairing, the Soekris eclipses the lower cost MB dac card. But unless you have a trained ear the differences might be hard to discern. Again splitting hairs here. The Soekris is just more open, tad more dynamic, less euphonic, tad brighter in a good way…..Again $299 vs $1300….but the Maximus pairs well here.



If you don’t level match its easy to pick one over the other, you have to honestly match. A small twist of the vol pot can make one device sound “better” or different… again listener beware.

Using the 420 ohm ADX 5000’s with Bill Whithers Live at Carnegie Hall, I preferred the more pricey Soekris 2541 for overall presentation, better imaging with the amp, better soundstage. More like being at a live performance…Same with Jamie Cullen and Twenty Somethings “But for Now”. Timbre spot on with this combination. Listening to Fourplay’s material is almost perfect match for this light jazz and this amp and dac. Makes me smile using these stellar dynamic cans often overlooked. The Pietus Maximus make these shine brightly.

I did listen to the Piety Maximus compared to other amps like the Schiit Midgard. Again sonically very different. Preference is the Maximus with the MB card even with an external MB2 dac and the Midard. Price wise the cost for the Piety Maximus with the MB dac is $750 compared to the Midgard at $219 and a MB2 dac at $299 for a total of $518. Sonically is it worth the delta, for me yes. But as always there are compromises some are just how you use the gear in your setup…the Midgard has balanced inputs while the Piety Maximus is SE only. Does this matter? Well realistically no but for some…well.

Honestly the Piety Magnius is a wonderful headphone amplifier, its world class. Sonically its in a special place in our community. One word to describe the Piety Maximus “Musical”. One could buy this amp and be very very satisfied with most headphones. I wish I had the Schiit MJ3 here at this time to compare, I had a MJ3 here months ago and IMO its still the class leader for headphone amps from Schiit. One could be very content with this one AIO Piety Maximus and either of the dac choices.

Some of this diatribe is meant for those that want to know if there is a real difference in these units. Yes there are differences. But for the vast majority of us its splitting hairs. Most combinations will make you smile from time to time. Part of the hobby for me is just tinkering with the different devices. There is no on amp or dac to rule them all…and for that I am happy. How boring would it be if you were stuck with only one device!! LOL!

Congrats to Christian for providing the community with such a stellar package. Thanks to Jason Stoddard for this design as well…..I look forward to more neat devices from Nitsch and Schiit.

Now go listen to the music!

Alex

PS: At no time did the Piety Maximous have any issue providing adequate power to any of the headphones used. I did not try the pre-amp. Not in any of my use cases.

Today I am looking at a new Schiit Modius E (aka Modius Maximus). Recently I was testing a Schiit Midgard headphone amplifier and thought that the Modius E with its similar form factor would match wonderfully. And it did.

This is a story of my recent experience I had with the Schiit Modius E dac with a Schiit Midgard “Halo” headphone amplifier. I have been a fan of Schiits True Multibit ™ dacs since the beginning. Gone thru several Schiit MB dacs but never had the real desire to try their low cost DS dac like the Modi + with the ESS 9018 chip. After years with a Bifrost OG and then lastest updates I never thought of looking a DS dac again. Well things change. Covid. Chip shortages, AKM fires and lots of crap. Curiosity.

For months now my favorite dac has been the Schiit Multibit 2 with the genuine Analog Devices AD 5547 D/A chip. Comparing to other dacs costing tons more I seem to come back to the sound signature of the MB2. Never even thought I would look at another D/S dac. Most of them I have tried are too bright, emphasize the high end too much for me. ESS chipped dacs were known for their bright presentation. Some refer this to the ESS "glare".

Jason's comments alluded to things that one can do with the newer ESS 9028 dac chip...some "secret sauce" ? So the timing was right and we have both the Midgard and Magnius E in house. My Midgard impressions are on the site as well for you to read.


Internal Glamor Shot! Where is that ESS 9028?


Right Here!

This part is more focused on the Modius E and how it sounds and a comparison to some other of my dacs, like the Schiit Multibit 2, Soekris 2541, ifi Pro DSD. How well would a $229 D/S dac stand up to its Schiit MB2? Many have asked this.

Well its physically bigger, called the "Modius Maximus" in house. 9 x 6 x 1.5 " to be exact and weighs in at 2 lbs. But wait there is more! Like Black or Silver.

So whats the Modius E all about? Low Cost, entry level dac for $229. 2 year warranty. Specs that are really decent. Heck a THD+N of 0.0003%. S/N >118 db. IMD of 0.0004%. Duh....pretty decent and do these measurements really mean anything at this level to to actual listening experience? Hmmm. Its DC coupled and a OPA 1656 op amp for the SE output and a LME 49724 fully differential op amp for the balanced output. Totally seperate. Good Stuff.

Inputs: USB, Toslink SPDIF, Coaxial and AES. The USB is of course Schiits own Unison USB (tm). 4 Inputs all the bases covered.

Outputs: XLR balanced and RCA single ended. The usual 2.0 volts RMS for SE and 4.0 RMS volts for balanced. The Balanced and single ended output are completely independent. You can use them at the same time. Think of the testing comparisons you can do. Nice.



There is no external power needed unless your using a "0" ma power draw device like a phone or tablet. For this Schiit has provided an small auxiliary power adapter. Neat thing is its a USB-C cable as well, If your just using it with a PC USB out you use this cable and not the power adapter. Schiit has you covered here. I only used the connection from the PC to the dac with the cable.

The front panel is very austere, simple. One large silver button to press and select one of the 4 inputs. NO power switch on the back! Smile. No special USB drivers needed with the later versions of Windows the Modius is fully UAC2 compliant. One thing to check especially if you have multiple dacs is make sure the sound panels in Windows has the dac enabled...also there are a few settings in there that you want to make sure that are correct.

So there you have it a great dac for $229, weighing in at whopping 2 lbs. Mates very well with the Midgard. Thinking of the Modi E at $99? Well for the extra bucks you get a ESS 9028 dac vs the ESS 9018 dac chip. The Modi E's analog stage is based on a OP1656 chip while the Modius E has two totally separate output stages. Just a tad more advanced IMO, and again both outputs are active at the same time. Balanced vs only SE outputs. And Schiit added AES as well. Well worth the upgrade here.


Simple Stack Black Matches Very Well


One thing that stands out for some of us is Schiit is using a switching power supply internally. Reason stated on their website is to hit the price/performance they were aiming for. In their usual funny way the state: "Dont worry. Its a very nice switcher! I have a few amps that use switching supplies, one is a DIY PassLabs ACP+, one is a Rupert Neve Amp and they state they designed their amp with a switching supply in mind etc...Depending on how they are done, filtering etc..its really in this case a don't care for me. Folks go out and buy a linear supply, but in this case it doesn't do you any good. The supply here is internal. Looking at the specs I don't see any detriment here at all.

So how does it sound?

To keep it sane here, I used the Midgard as the amp, My ZMF VC's for the headphones. 300 Ohms. 99db sensitivity.
All these impressions are my own with my music (all ripped flacs), my brain and my bias's. YMMV. Smile. Remember we all hear differently.


Lots of Fun Testing, the SYS makes things easy to switch

First up was Modius E compared with its bigger brother (sister?), the Modi Multibit 2 or MB2 as its known as.

Ok this was really interesting. Depending on the source material some of these observations here were more noticeable than using other material. Modius was clearer, more articulate or resolving, brighter, comes across as a tad hotter. The MB2 was warmer, more closed in sound, a tad veiled in comparison, Smaller sound-stage to me. Now these first impressions are my own subjective thoughts. Both are very, very good and these differences are very close.
At times its hard to like one over the other. Some folks would call the MB2 a tad more musical and the Modius E more technical. I think if your headphones are on the warm side you might prefer the Modius E over the MB2. If your headphones are on the bright side, think Grados or Beyerdynamics, then you might prefer the MB2 over the Modius E. Also brighter recordings of old like good ole Kenny G's sax, more enjoyable with the MB2 here. The neat thing with the addition of a Schiit SYS you can easily have both dacs in house and change very easily. Foobar 2000 was the player I used and its easy to change dacs on the fly. Depending on what headphones I an using I might pick one or the other. Winner here both tie for me. My ZMF VC's like the Modius E over the MB2 by a hair.



I did try this with my D8000 Pros, the impedance here is 60 ohms and sensitivity is close to the ZMFs at 98db.
The listening test were harder to discern the differences in the two dacs. Hmmm. The Modius E on some songs was indeed a tad brighter...but really a nail bite'r. Wondering if the impedance difference is impacting this? OBTW Midgard was only used from the SE output. No Halo(tm) to muddy the water.



For grins I did try the MB NOS mode in contrast to the Non NOS mode: I noticed a slight difference in the sound-stage.
NOS was wider and slightly recessed, Non-NOS was in your face focused and slightly more narrow. My preference is the Non -NOS mode.

Second up was Modius E vs Soekris 2541:

Well another surprise. Both dacs are pretty much the same here ! The thing I do notice is the placement and voicing. A tad different. One is just a little back (Soekris) the other is more up front (Modius E)...splitting hairs here. This for the price differential is simply amazing. Winner here is the Modius E. Sorry. And the Soekris costs a ton more than the Modius E. Oooof! This one was easy. Either one pleases me again dependent on the headphones and source material.


A really nice pairing

Third and lastly Modius E vs iFi Pro DSD:

This one was easy. The Modius E tries really hard here, but the winner is the iFi Pro DSD. Its more open and even wider than the Modius E, more resolving in the minutiae with a wider sound-stage. Just a wonderful overall musical presentation, the Modius E sounds a bit harsh in comparison, reminds me of ESS sound in the past. But until I compared both I didn't notice this. The price differential here is astronomical. So there is that. For the Modius E to come close to a multi thousand dollar dac, well thats a statement all by itself. (recent price for Ifi is $3249, Modius is $229). Again these are my opinions you may think just the opposite....the only way to tell is for you to listen and decide for yourself.




Conclusions:

Schiit has a very good low cost entry level DS dac. Yup its really decent compared to many of the DS dacs of old.

The thing here for me is we are talking about different flavors, yes different and noticeable. Do they matter? That depends on you and your tastes. I don't like stating one is really better or the winner often. Its more of there are so many different flavors of sound. Endless combinations. Along the road to audio perfection you often realize there is more than one answer....your experience may be totally the opposite of mine and thats fine.

For me Schiit with this $229 ESS 9028 dac chipped Modius E have come along way on the road to audio perfection at an affordable price for many of us. I would not hesitate to buy this dac over many others. The combination of the Modius E with the Midgard is really great value IMO. Made in the USA for the most part, assembled in Texas!

Again Congrats to Schiit for a nice product at a decent price.

Alex

Midgard has arrived!

Well when Jason Stoddard announced this new headphone amplifier I was intrigued at this new Halo (tm) stuff. Talk about upsetting the apple cart. Here we go again. I had to try one and see if there anything to this new tech.


Slim 1.5" Tall, Input Button, Gain Button, Volume Knob, SE and XLR Output Connections

I was surprised in other ways with this amp. Imagine specs that provide gobs of power. Enough to drive most headphones very very well. Midgard has this in spades. Well maybe not the new Tungsten headphone at 76-78 db sensitivity. Well thats a real corner case for sure. Power 5.5 watts RMS at 16 ohms, 4.8 watts RMS at 32 ohms, 3.2 watts RMS at 50 ohms, 750 mw at 300 ohms and even 375 mw at 600 ohms! Specs that state inaudible noise for all headphones and IEMS. Specs that state distortion is immeasurable at normal listening levels, 1000 x lower than a typical headphone. From a discrete amplifier design. All for $219!...Yup $219 with a 2yr warranty.

Wide open volume on either gain setting. Dead silent. I only used headphones, no IEMS. Looking at the internals, you see a very clean layout, excellent solder job, no wires, a screw-less top (only 2 screws on the back for the top cover) vs the old 4 screws on the top cover. It weighs 2 lbs and the smaller form factor 9 x 6 x1.5" is really nice. Matches the Modius E and Bifrost 2/64 very well.

Anything I threw at it for a load was easily driven. No discernable distortion. None. Schitt even touts :




Nothing like taking the covers off and admiring the stuff inside!

"To date this is the best measuring, highest power discrete headphone amplifier that Schiit has ever made." (from the Schitt Site). And has this thing called Halo(tm). Halo is an attempt to see if including your transducer in the feedback loop would have any affect on the listening experience. Any measurements here. No, None, Zip, Zero, Nada, well not that are published. Schiit states this is up for debate and it up to you to see if this is magic or a dont care. All you have to do is to try the TRS output unplug and try the XLR output and compare. Any difference ?? Well for me....later.



Sense of Humor? "Fully Discrete (Really)....60 Volt Rails!

More than Halo (tm) the overall picture of this amp is its all around cost/performance ratio. Its an exceptional value IMO. Even if Halo(tm) is a bust, you get almost 5 watts RMS into 32 ohms from both the SE and XLR output. Having SE and balanced inputs you can connect 2 different dacs at the same time and switch between them with the front panel push button. If you dac has both SE and XLR outputs you can compare them to each other and decide which one is of your liking. Sweet.

Ok so for $219 we get a very powerful, clean essentially distortion free amp. What else is there? How about a really decent Alps Blue Velvet volume pot. RK 27 to be exact. Great for smooth control and low level tracking. The same pot is used in Jot 2 and Mjolnir 3. In my DIY stuff I always use the Alps RK 27 pots...and genuine Alps not the chi-fi pirates ! Some budget amps dont always have the best parts in the build. Midgard has "exotic" film and silicon capacitors and MELF resistors. Whats MELF you ask? Check out Vishay technical papers on them. Excellent parts IMO. Well then how about a preamp with both SE and balanced outputs. All built in Texas. Parts from California, Utah, Nevada. Yes the wall-wort is made in Taiwan. Magnius is gone, op amps.


Alps RK 27 Blue Velvet Pot

One thing that is a tad different is the output impedance (remember the 1/8 rule?), for SE is less than .1 ohms, while the XLR output is approximately 2 ohms. Hmm. Why? Well Schiit states is because of this Halo (tm) stuff. Halo has to have a separate ground return paths for left and right channels thus the XLR connection. Xlr with 4 pins suits this design requirement.



Exotic Parts

Ok Halo (tm). A "mixed-mode feedback system that puts the driver into the feedback loop." Some think it helps, some not. Schiits stance was hey we cant really measure this well...so lets put it out there and see how "we the customers" like or not like it. They also state any perceivable difference would most likely occur with large transducers, aka "speakers"....YMMV. Well Midgard is not a speaker amp...so? Could there possibly be other amps, like speaker amps that might include this Halo (tm) stuff ? :>) For me after many hours of listening to each output. My ear likes the non-Halo SE output. To me its more distinct or clear, the old less veil thing. Both outputs have the same power so its easy to test and compare. My opinion as to what sound better may be influenced with my headphones and the sound signature my brain prefers. My surprise here was with a new purchase of ZMF headphones and trying to find an amp that would pair with them and be less warm. Well this amp with the SE output was the winner here. Pair this with a Modius E and its well excellent with the ZMF VC's. Surprise. (less than $500!).

I should add, that the XLR output is very good a bit more holographic to me at times. Probably my bias towards more analytical sounding gear. I could discern the differences and I could easily listen to both for hours. Depending on your tastes your preference may be different. The neat thing here is Schiit decided to let "YOU" try and see for yourself! Awesome.

I did this comparison with my new ZMF VC's, Rossen Audio Designs Rad 0's, Audio Technica ADX 5000 (420 ohms), Final Audio D8000 Pros and a HD650. All headphones led me to prefer the SE output. All headphones were easily driven very well to painful levels. Never went over 12 oclock even on low gain. Again all dead quiet when the music was paused.



ON OFF

Make sure you understand there is no magic here by getting the same power output for SE and XLR. Midgard is still basically a single-ended amplifier. The balanced stuff gets get converted to single end and single ended get converted to balanced where needed. Its not a balanced amp like you might think.

How does it sound? Much better than my ole long gone THX AAA amp for sure. The things that stand out are its ability to effortlessly drive all my headphones without straining. Effortlessly.

Sound-stage was open, wide, expansive. As good as any other of my amps. In some cases better.

Clarity, well this one really took me by surprise. Clear, crystal clear but not like the measurement amps that you hear are dry and abrasive. Op amp amps. With all my cans, especially the warmer ZMF VC's it came across more articulate and was a perfect match for the ZMF's. Stellar.

Jason writes: "Discrete lets us do cool stuff like super-linear open-loop stages that perform at pretty much state of the art levels without a ton of feedback." I agree.

As I listened I looked at all my other amps sitting there as I round Robbin'd them thru the listening gauntlet....I wondered how can a $219 amp sound so good?




Testing with the Schiit Modius E


Tons of Connections!

Again a world class amp for $219. Yeah I sound like a Schiit fan-boy. Well I am of sorts. This is a great amp for a great price with some exotic tech that may or may not be of real significance to your setup over time...expect to see this tech in other devices...maybe a speaker device? I am a sucker for Made in the USA stuff. No apologies. Schitt IMO provides a stellar product in Midgard, Built in Texas with excellent parts and quality with a decent warranty for $219.

Schiit...Job well done! This one will remain in my stable! Its that good.

NOTE: I did a listening session with the Modius E ESS 9028 dac from Schiit as well. The paring was exceptionally good.
Highly recommended. If your a ZMF fan this is is a killer setup at a really decent price point.

Alex

Meet Mjolnir, Thor’s Hammer. In this case a 16 lb. Schiit Hammer!







Class A amps have been one of my favorite types of amps since I started listening with headphones. I have built several, still have a few and when Schiit announced the new Mjolnir 3 I had to get one to test and listen to. Well today I received a unit from Schiit, thanks to Schiit for providing the unit. I get no enumeration from Schiit for anything I write and the unit will be returned to Schiit. All opinions here are my own as always YMMV.

I will state this now and at the end. If you really like to listen to music and forget about the specs and how much power you have or the feedback employed. This amp is for you. Run don’t walk and get one.

If your old school, like products that are built VERY well, are heavy like 16 lbs., simple, powerful, sixteen (16) 10-amp bipolar NPN transistors per channel, and just want to listen to music a lot…. this is your amp. Yup it really is. (oh, that’s a total of 32 output devices!).

So, 16 lbs. of an amp, came in a sturdy box with two plastic foam end-caps and a third supporting piece of this poly foam stuff to support the unit in the middle. A power cord and a simple Schiit users or owner’s manual with the usual Schiit satire…. has to be a Jason trademark…?

When I was in the Army to become a 2nd Lt. I was told that first impressions are a lasting one. Lifting a 16 lb. amp out of a cardboard box well that made a lasting impression on me. This thing is heavy.

This is a photo from the Schiit website. I did not want to take the cover off on the unit. I usually do, to compare with similar units. But this amp is not like anything else out there for headphones at this price point that I am aware of. Typical clean straightforward layout. No wires. No Antennas. Easy to manufacture. Brilliant.




There’s the reason for the weight…”4” weighty devices on the left, the two transformers and two chokes. You can call this a headphone “beast”. Its just an amp, a full Class A amp. All the time. No weird stuff. No plug-in stuff…Simplicity. Built to last. No fan.

Power supply filtering has >20,000 uf for each channel, 2 48VA transformers, 2 chokes, Rails 100v for each channel that are separate and 100 % discrete regulated. The entire amp is discrete.

The obligatory Specs:




Power Consumption: 50 Watts typical. Size: 16”x 8” x 2”

1 Full Watt RMS at 300 ohms not to shabby for your high impedance cans…2 watts RMS at 32 ohms. Nice. The secret sauce here IMO is the Choke inputs…why do I say this?

Well Chokes are old school, they are big and heavy and add cost. As Mike Moffet has said they have been abandoned due to the weight and cost. The choke is about the same size as the power transformer, look at the internal picture (same for Tyr). Chokes store energy, like period capacitor banks, they help provide large reserves of power…which in concert with the capacitors and 32 discrete output devices make this not a run of the mill amp. It’s a “beast”. IMO this is an end game headphone amp. Yes there are many other great amps out there, but there is only one MJ3.

MJ3 has what is called ‘Dual Mono” Well this is a really neat design…. each channel is a total entity all to itself. The only thing in common as Schiit states on the website, is the PCB (circuit board). Each channel has its own power transformer and choke, separate regulation. Simply amazing to me. Old school. Add the choke for old school filtering, smoothing and power reserves…gosh this is almost a perfect storm here for me.

MJ3 is fully discrete, balanced differential. What does this mean? Well here is Schiits description shamelessly copied, I cant say this any better:




Ok so what’s on the Back:





Balanced inputs via XLR, great for your Bifrost. No conversion to SE inside. No funny stuff.
Single Ended Inputs, For SE sources via RCA cables. Converted with Schiit magic to Balanced.
Balanced Preamp outputs, For external monitors or external speaker amps with Bal inputs via XLR cables.
Single Ended Preamp outputs! If you don’t have Balanced devices. RCA.
Power Switch, the old school tried and true power switch “on the back” that we all love.
AC Input. This is where the amp gets its power from.

What’s on the Front:






This part shows how special this amp really is.
Input Select, Up for balanced, down for SE RCA.
Preamp Enable, up to enable, down to dis-able.
Volume, Self-explanatory?
Gain, Up for high (4, 12db), Down for low (1, 0db).
Mode, up for push-pull Class A, down for SE Class A. (considered to be the purest form of Class A). Push-pull gives you more power though. You get to choose what you like with what headphones you use.
Feedback, Up for feedback, down for No feedback. Again, depending on your headphones, hard to drive or not you get to choose which selection performs better to your ears.
Power LED.

In the simple manual provided there is guidance in using the Mode and Feedback selections. For me it was simple to decide what worked best for me and my inventory of headphones.

More on Class A from Jason Stoddard: (Choices, Options, Yup).



One thing I did notice when reading about the MJ3 on the Schiit thread at head-fi.com was that someone mentioned that the unit seems to vibrate? Well I could not feel any physical vibrations by touching the case. But knowing that chokes at some frequencies can resonate…I put my ear on the case, NOT near the very warm heatsinks and did hear the chokes “doing their thing”. Absolutely nothing that interferes with listening. How often do you place your ear on a device chassis to feel vibrations? It’s the “beast” doing its thing. Read the manual and Jason has a funny way of explaining this quirk.



Side Ventilation

I might point out that this amp is not the best measuring amp, nope. But for me its more than measurements. I have proven this over and over in much testing and blind listening sessions. For me is does the gear allow me to sit back, relax and get lost in the music. For hours on end. This amp allows this. In spades. As one “famous” reviewer often states in his videos: “Oh la la” such a device”.

Explanation:
The French phrase oh là là isn't so much an expression as an interjection. It can indicate surprise, disappointment, commiseration, distress, or annoyance. The phrase is used to express any moderately strong reaction to something that was just said or done

Note: I am not going to use a lot of those hundred + flowery adjectives to describe the sound. With so many variables, like your gear (aka the “chain”), difference in human beings hearing, source material etc. Flowery prose is left up to the end user. I will say this “any” of your headphones used with MJ3 will “surprise” you with many Oh la la moments.



What lurks inside the "Beast"?

So how did it work with my stuff. One word. “Superb” ok two words, “Excellent”. For almost all of my critical listening I used high gain, SE Class A, and no feedback. I did try many other combinations but did not honestly notice any real discernable “betterments”. Like many of these options there are real technical differences, but the actual impact of the sound is often very minute and very subjective. YMMV. I also tried both SE and Balanced output connections for connecting my cans. I used two dacs with SE and balanced outs, a Soekris 2541 and a iFi iFi Pro iDSD, and the latest Schiit Modi Multibit 2 in SE.

Turning up the volume full tilt with the music paused the amp if dead quiet, NO hint of any noise with any of my headphones, from 29 ohms to 420 ohms. A small noise when switching from the 2 class A modes. Nothing to be excited about.

The first set of cans were my trusty HD650’s. These are my low-end headphones. The 6xx series has become the iconic standard for headphones for many, many years…. but often lacking compared to other higher performing cans…that said I was stunned at how well the MJ3 allowed these 650s to shine. Well-articulated bass, a open euphoric presentation…the only limiting thing here is the narrow soundstage, but this is not the amps doing…with well recorded material I have never heard the 650s sound so well. I could be very happy with just these cans with this setup…if I did not know how other cans “worked”. 300 ohms, but with 1 watt of Class A power…they really sing very, very well. Kudos MJ3.

Second up were my Audio Technica ADX 5000’s. An often-overlooked headphone, Dynamic drivers, 420 ohms. Very light weight, IMO what the Senn 800’s should have been. Light and Airy sound. These cans some say don’t have any bass, like the 800’s…well I beg to differ with this. With this amp and good material, the bass is there and accurate, it lacks the full thick stuff for sure…but for my listening this is the way I like open airy cans. No issues at all driving 420 ohms here . Listening to Eric Clapton and B.B. King on B.B. King and Eric Clapton..”Help the Poor” is like being there. Great amp. Syrogyra’s “Dreams Beyond Control and Birk’s Law” shows what this combo can do in the jazz bass dept, bass, mids, vibraphone. Great cans…MJ3 outstanding.




ADX 5000’s + MJ3


Third up were my Final Audio D8000 Pros. Planars 60 ohms, One of the finest headphones I have ever used. Keepers. A magnificent pairing with the MJ3. The tonality of Jake Shimabukuro Ukulele is stunningly accurate as well as Tommy Emmanuel’s guitar licks. Bass listening to Brian Bromberg’s “Wood’ is tonally accurate, full and well bodied. Joe Satriani’s “Rubina” made me smile big time. Peter Belasco’s Deeper shows how well the amp and the D8000’s work. They worked very well. Chest rumbling bass. On low gain the volume knob is never over 9-10 o’clock position, on high gain 8-9 o’clock position. Tons of power for the D8000’s. One of the best pairings with these cans.

Lastly were my Rosson Audio Designs Rad “0”. Planars 29 ohms. Again, no noise with full volume high or low gain settings. These were the hardest to drive of my cans on low gain volume at 10 o’clock to noon position. High gain, volume setting was 9 o’clock to 11 o’clock. Absolutely no issue driving them, just the load seemed to require a little more EMF to excite them to my liking. Listening to Alison Krauss on “Hundred Miles or More” was esquisite. Wonderful musical wide open presentation….could listen with this combination for hours.




So, is there anything wrong with the MJ3? Well. Sonically to me, No. Build wise, No. Warranty wise, No. The only things that people might not like is it runs HOT and the power switch is still on the back (seriously)……

So, let’s talk warm or “hot”.

After a few hours of playing I measured the temperature on the two heatsinks. Using a thermocouple attached to the lower top side of the heatsinks and underneath the unit as well. Between the bottom case and desktop. It does run hot. I measured 143 – 146 Deg F on the heatsinks and 130 + on the underneath…With no AC on. With AC on in the same room at 76 deg F, the temps went down to 129 deg F on the heatsink and 125 degrees F on the bottom case. Looks like the bottom case is close but a slight differential here. The bottom may actually be part of the heatsink solution ?



Fancy Old School Temperature Measuring Device


Bottoms Up!

Ok so what does this mean. Well it doesn’t invalidate the 5 yr. warranty and Schitt states is not worried and has other considered hot running units (like the OG Asgard) out their working for 13 yrs. later.

Having it next to me I was not aware of any excessive heat, even when placing my hand over the heatsinks. Touching them is another story. Be careful, they are hot. Just like tube amps not a good place to stick your tongue on!

So, some will not like this, but really tubes are fine?

In summary:

Any modern headphone will shine with this amp. A Full Class A all the time amp. A wonderful old school choke input amp that exudes quality and build. Simple elegant design. Musical. A really special amp amongst other good amps. So many options and choices to play with.

If you really like to listen to music and forget about the specs and how much power you have or the feedback employed. This amp is for you. Run don’t walk and get one.

They won’t be around for long.

See I told you I would say this again!

Alex



Note I did a comparison session with one of my favorite other brand Class A amps. The PassLabs HPA-1.

When level set they sound very similar. Different yes. One is warmer IMO that the other. Either one would be fine here. Price wise that’s another story. MJ3 is much more affordable. Great choices here. But look who is on top!



Godzilla meet Thor's Hammer!

Grado GS1000x Statement Series.
"Bright and Vivid"

Simple boxing:







I have had several Grado headphones in the past, years back. I was just starting out looking for the perfect headphone for me. Most of the early cans I tried were often veiled, dark and warm. So when I discovered Grado, Beyerdynamics and some others made headphones that were less warm, dark and more on the bright side I had to give them a try. I bought the lower end cost Grado’s the 80 series and then the newer 325 series. I did have a set of Hemps here for a week. Nice wood but again IMO just that Grado sound. In summary here, they were good but just too bright of a can for my ears, the treble was a bit too emphasized and the bass was well, not what I was looking for.

So, we moved on. Having gone thru so many headphones since then I have settled in on Final Audio D8000 Pros, , Rad 0, ADX 5000’s and HD 650’s. I never decided to spend more money for the higher end Grado’s back then thinking it would be just more of that “Grado” sound signature. So, when Todd announced a loaner program for the GS 1000x series, well count me in, time to see if Grado has changed in their sound signature, overall comfort etc.

So what are these newer Signature series headphones? Well they sure do look like Grado’s. I never had any issue picking out a Grado headphone from the crowd of others. Simple elegance. Common traits of non removeable cord, foam cushions of differing sizes and comfort level, and decent light weight. The earlier Grado’s I had were the on the ear type earpads that to me were not that great. They always felt scratchy to my skin, and not that comfortable after a few hours of listening….not due to the weight just the feel of those pads on my ears. Sorry just not likable here at all.

New 12 conductor cable. A bit stiff. Not detachable.




So these are typical dynamic headphones. Open Air. They do bleed sound a lot. My wife comes in from an adjacent space and tells me she can hear the sound out there! Not an issue if your in a private listening room, but to some this may not be ok. I just shut the door! Lol!

Two color choices to choose from:



The drivability of these headphones are 1mw / 99db. Impedance of 38 ohms. They are easy to drive. The drivers are well matched at .05 db spec wise. Hand built in Brooklyn by the Grado elves. Grado states these two-decade old series is now a hybrid GS1000x with new X Drivers, new cables and for the first time a combination of mahogany and ipe wood. They weigh 372 grams or 13.5 oz. Really light compared to my other HEAVY planars!

The cord is different. Its heavier in girth and has a nice outside covering. These being new they still are a bit stiff and it will take a few weeks of being wrapped up to loosed up. The splitter is substantial, but the flexibility for it to the drivers is well, pretty stiff to me. The cord is 15 ft long and terminates into a ¼ plug. Its made from a 12 conductor cable with that braided exterior sheath. Metal gimbals.

They have an upgraded black leather headband with white stitching. Very Nice. Simple elegance. This set of Grado’s is well built, the wood is beautiful. They are very comfortable and feel like I could wear these for hours. The G cup cushions are huge! Compared to my early experienced these are a BIG, BIG improvement in the comfort factor. Gone is that scratchiness. The amount of sound chamber created around you ear IMO is big, cavernous. Circum-aural. I think this really helps with their exceptional sound-stage. Replaceable for $50! Not too bad.

BIG earpads. Very comfortable, light weight.



The drivers are 4th generation X Drivers. The largest used ever by Grado. Grado calls the “de-stressed” 50 mm drivers that are specifically tuned to bring out the warmth of mahogany. More powerful magnets to deliver more power and better dynamics. The voice coil was changed to have less effective mass and the diaphragms were re-designed for improved efficiency. Supposedly to reduce distortion etc. Only your ears might tell. Sound is so subjective.

Ok so how do they sound?

Well all my comments are very subjective based on my years of listening to many headphones and my musical tastes.

They definitely are warmer than the other Grado’s I have had. This IMO is good. The overall brilliance and bright sounding signature is still present. So have the best of both works, that Grado edginess that removes the veil is there with a nicer warmer less strident sound.

They are very resolving and articulate. Nothing escapes detection. Tambourines that get lost in many recordings were detectable…these get unnoticed in some music. That poor musician that shakes the tambourine or shakers! Ha! I can hear your contribution now! Micro-details, excellent!

Leather white stitching:



One of the best traits IMO is the GS1000x's ability to reproduce guitar and strings very well. Simple guitar licks and light jazz from Larry Carlton to Lee Ritenour are just a marvelous listen. All the details are there in the total sound…. the small drum swishes, light bass in the background…all are there in the way the music was recorded. Light saber nice here.

Listening to Double’s Blue CD, Woman of the World…the hand claps and overall presentation was excellent. The soundstage is wide, and the depth front to back is very good. Reverb and decay are well brought out. Sounds pop out on the extreme left and right. The imaging, separation and depth are really very good. The horn in the center comes in tonally accurate and not sibilant. This is a pop tune but it has many delicate sounds going on…these Grado’s are light saber resolving here. A very good trait.

Light jazz assembles are where these cans shine for me. Slow deliberate music well mic’d is a joy to listen to. Why? Because you hear ALL the instruments that are there contributing to the piece. Excellent.

Switching over to Carlos Garnett and Fire CD, fast bright, trumpets glaring etc.…wonderful wide soundstage. Trumpets like your there. You ever sit next to a real trumpet. It can hurt! With high energy musical instruments like in this CD your going to hear that brilliance. You may or may not like this. Metallic hanging chimes gosh they come through very lifelike…brilliant.

Guitars in Justin Johnsons Bootleg Series, Volume 3 "Son of a Witch" is close to as perfect as a guitar can sound. Guitar solos. Nothing else. Dobro resonator guitar....gosh its so sweet here.

Simple Elegance:



Listening at low levels is really good. Some cans are that great at lower volumes, but these do work well here. You looses some of that low end, but if your music isn’t sub-sonic your fine.

The only issue I have with these newer Grado’s is in the bass department. Compared to other cans these Grado’s are a bit shallow on the low end. Its not that they are inaccurate. They are. The heft that one hears with a high end planar or higher end dynamic is just not the same. I am not a fan of Eq’ing but I think these cans with a tad boost on the low end might be close to what I like. So I remembered I had the ability with my iFi ICAN Pro amp to add some “bass” boost. I tried this and its better but still not what I really am looking for.

I have to add this bass issue for me is very dependent on the source for instance Chet Atkins CGP CD. Light guitars, dynamic drum kicks all sound very good along with the excellent details going on. Its just that low end organ like stuff that is lacking here.




Equipment used was PassLabs HPA-1, iFI ICan Pro, Schiit Vali 2 +, Nitsch Piety and iFI IDSD. Dacs used were Soekris 2541, Schiit Modi Multibit 2, iFI IDSD, MHDT Orchid. I will say that these GS1000x to me were resolving enough to expose differences in these devices. This for me is well….excellent. My favorites were the Schiit Modi Multibit 2 with the Nitsch Piety. This for me was the best overall sound and helped somewhat on the bass end. Jazz music was really good to listen to. I have to say with good jazz these cans are superlative..due to their resolving and articulation. Nothing goes unnoticed. This is their strong trait for sure.




All in all, I really like what Grado has done with these newer GS 1000x’s. Way better than my years back Grado experience. If you get a chance give them a listen. You might just fall in love with these.

Wonderful choice of wood color.




Many thanks to Todd, a great person who sent me these to audition. Todd is a great person to deal with and has shared many items on these loaner runs.

Thanks Todd!

Alex

Rumors started a few weeks back that there might me a run of Modi Multibits once again. With all the supply chain and chip shortages Schiit had to prioritize where it was going to use the AD dac chips it could get and the Modi Multibit lost out and was unavailable for quite some time.

Then Jason alluded to a possible December or January run of a slightly updated Modi Multibit called the Modi Multibit 2. Wow! Folks really started to get excited about the ability of getting a Schiit True Multibit ((TM) dac for a decent price. In this case its Modi Multibit 2 for $299 in a black case. Silver is $319.




Well for me when I first heard that Schiit would possibly come out with another run of the Modi Multibit with some tweaks and the addition of Unison USB and a NOS mode my interest was once again stimulated!

Well its back and its even Better!

Schiit just sent me a review unit. I occasionally have vendors send me stuff for my real world opinion and comparisons to other gear usually of similar function. I get no enumeration or special discount or deals. Just a unit that arrives and then is sent back. I want to thank the gang at Schiit for sending me a nice new shiny silver Modi Multibit 2 dac.

The case for this run is still the 4-screw top type case. Not the newer form factor used with Magni +. On top there is a nice logo which I believe is the True Multibit™ moniker. On the back are the usual dac inputs from USB, and the digital coax and SPDIF. The output is via RCA jacks. The USB input is in the USB C form factor. It worked well for me and was snug and not loose etc. Great. On/Off switch in the back. An AC wall-wort plugs into the back, the same type PN as with other Magnis etc (not Vali’s though.




It arrived from Corpus Christi during the recent “Bomb Cyclone” and it arrived very cold but intact. I let it warm up to room temperature. The shipping box is the same style all the Magni’s and small form factor devices arrive in. The unit, the power supply, the owners manual (ha!), a few Schiit and Corpus Christi stickers and that’s about it.

So after several hours I moved stuff around and connected the MM2 to be able to compare with my other dacs. A Soekris 2541, MHDT Orchid, and a iFI IDSD Pro dac. I had two Bifrost 2’s in house for years but went they moved into other setups. So I have a pretty good ear for how they work / sound. Two of the dacs I have, have a NOS mode. Comparing dacs is easy with Foobar 2000 and a switchbox. Qobuz switching was easy as well.




When first turned on the three front LEDS cycle several times. Really Cool. Kind of like my PassLabs HPA-1 amp. Once done cycling, the light stays on the input selected. By default, it seems this is the USB, I only used the USB input. All music was ripped FLACS and Qobuz for switching in between different resolutions and bit depths. Schiit stated they had a intermittent garbled sound issue when listening to real music when switching music with different sample rates. I happily did this a lot of times and not once did I experience any garbled sound or anything else improper. Worked like a charm.

What does a dac do or supposed to do, well simply it puts back the digits (PCM) from the ADC process back into an analog signal that can be amplified and listened to. Yeah its more complex that this, like clocking, sampling, and some “black magic”. Vendor touted secret sauce etc. Dacs come in several flavors, we hear terms like Delta Sigma, R2R Multibit, Sign, FPGA etc.…from $99 to thousands of dollars!

Seems like the more one spends the more secret sauce one gets. But does it really matter?

Nice Schiit True Multibit Logo:



When it comes to dacs the differences IMO are often subtle. Maybe the biggest differences in sound one can possibly perceive is between widely varying designs and topologies. A multi-bit vs a delta sigma etc..Usually the DS designs tend to measure better, if that’s your thing. Even Schitt now makes a DS dac the Modi + for only $129, a whole lot less than this MM2 ! So why, which one is better, which one do I need ?

Schiit had a low cost multibit dac out for a few years and they coined the term “True Multibit”. Why? Well some folks are using the multibit to describe dacs that just have several bits. Even a low-cost Delta Sigma dac with 2-5 bits can be touted as ‘multibit’. Hence the “True Multibit”™ moniker. Then all this chip shortage stuff happened and the Modi Multibit went “dark”…But now its back in a new improved version!! A limited run based on the amount of chips they have I presume.

So what is True Multibitt ™ ?

From Schiit:

It’s a unique combination of a time and frequency domain optimized digital filter, implemented on an Analog Devices DSP, and one or more 16 – 20 bit real honest medical defense grade D/A converters. This as you’d expect, wayyyy more costly than doing it “off the rack” with delta-sigma converters and that’s why Modi Multibit costs a lot more than Modi +. In the case of Modi Mulitbit, we are using an Analog Devices SHARC DSP and a stereo Analog Devices AD5547 D/A Converter.




Sample rates and bit depths: 16/44.1 to 24/192 via USB, Coax and Optical connections.

The output is fixed at 2.0 volts RMS.

USB connection is with Schiits proprietary Unison ™ Input receiver. Exclusive to Schiit. When and if URD comes out we will a Unison to Unison connection from what I understand!

So now you can buy a True Multibit ™ for $299 or you can send a lot more for a Bifrost 2/64 for $799 or a Gungnir for $1199 or the ultimate Schiit Multibit ™ Yggdrasil + for $2699. So why does this exist at all.

Schiit states “Sound”.

When it comes to dacs the differences IMO are often subtle. Maybe the biggest differences in sound one can possibly perceive is between widely varying designs and topologies. For instance listening with a multi-bit vs a delta sigma dac you might hear differences more easily. Usually the DS designs tend to measure better, if that’s your thing. Even Schitt now makes a DS dac the Modi + for only $129, a whole lot less than this MM2 ! So why, which one is better, which one do I need ?

Well its really up to your ears and what you like, your bias, your sense of what music should be or sound like in the end. So, IMO after going through many dacs its like a crap shoot to me. Yup. Right now we have 5 dacs in house and they all work well some sound really very much the same. YMMV of course. I am not doubting what your experience is, just what my ears and wallet has told me over the years and recently.

I will cut to the chase. This MM2 dac may be the only dac you ever need.

Many dacs have several filters and sampling stuff that allow you to try out different output sounds….more often than not I read reviews that say “hard to tell any real differences here…but I settled in on the XXX one…seemed to be the best for me”…really subjective for sure. With the MM2 you get to use the secret Schiit sauce in a version of their very own “comboburitto” filter. I don’t know if this is exactly the same filter used in the other higher prices True Multibit (tm) Schitt dacs? Schiit has incorporated a NOS mode for us that just want to experience the transformation from bits to analog with no filtering. Nice.

The front panel case is simple and clean. The push button to select the various inputs works very nicely and smooth. When I took the cover off for photos the button fell out and I was amazed at how well machined this button is and how it fits in the hole and is simply held on via the top panel pressure…the distance from the switch and the button back is wonderfully accurate. Yes the simple things amaze me.

And if you’re a “purist” you can depress that little silver front button for a few seconds and the light starts cycling from dim to bright etc…indicating you have said “goodbye” to the “comboburitto” filter….press and hold again for a few seconds and wham back to Mr Moffets secret sauce….Now you can tell the difference and let us all know what you really think.

Another simple thing of beauty for me is the three lights on the front panel. Schiit is using I believe 3d printed light “pipes” that transmit the glow from the circuit board leds to the open holes in the front panel. Ingenious.

Notice the light pipes and the small button !



So I listened all day and just enjoyed it and its capabilities. I could easily just have this one dac and be happy. Yup. Simple. End of story. Why. Because it just does what a dac does and the output compared to other dacs are very similar.

So why spend a lot more for the higher priced dacs? Well the Modi Multibit is not upgrade-able. If Schiit does come out with new technology or updates your stuck with this version of perfection. Higher priced dacs might have more power supplies and regulation, better specs, exotic filters, exotic boutique parts, you might want a bigger form factor to match your decor? Or you just want what a vendor touts as their top tier device. Some might have the ability to add filters, DSD, MQA etc…for me having most of my music ripped from 16/44.1 these are not needed. I do have a dac that does real DSD conversion, and I just wanted to see what this was all about. Not needed here.

Black is sweet as well and its less expensive:



I took out an old Oppo BD 83SE to try out the Coax and SPDIF digital inputs. All worked fine and again the differences were IMO minute when listening. Again YMMV.

Lacking from this review are those glittering adjectives like, sparkling highs, deep taunt bass, wonderfully wide soundstage, etc. What I will say is comparing to other dacs its like choosing what filter is best for your ears. I have no DS dacs in house anymore. Some say the difference between multibit dacs and DS is very discernable. YMMV.

Switching from my dacs to the Modi Multibit 2 I found little differences in the sound being heard. Seriously I think this dac for $299 is all you really need. Yup. But the only way you will know is to buy, test and try and decide for yourself.

The one thing I am looking forward to is trying the URD device with the Modi Multibit 2. Stay tuned.

Don’t you actually miss that nice white LED light? With the light pipe implemenatation IMO this is a pleasant and informative light. Wish Schiit would do this on all their gear.




In conclusion:

Well its really up to your ears and what you like, your bias, your sense of what music should be or sound like in the end. So, IMO after going through many dacs its like a crap shoot to me. Yup. Right now we have 5 dacs in house and they all work well some sound really very much the same. YMMV of course. I am not doubting what your experience is, just what my ears and wallet has told me over the years and recently.

So again..... I will cut to the chase. This MM2 dac may be the only dac you ever need. Yup, to some this is audio blasphemy. LOL!

But for $299 what do have to loose!
Alex

Added pix: OG Magni 3 with MM2. I just loved the LED's shine! Some folks complained about the bright LEDS. For me not so. YMMV.

OK, Merry Christmas, its that time of year again. Santa Claus delivered several new toys for me to play with. Recently a Schiit Magni 3 +, a Schiit Modi Multibit 2, Nitsch Piety and a pair of nice new Rosson Designs Rad 0’s.

This review or rather “experience” is about the Rad 0’s. Alex Rosson designed the Rad 0’s and they have been around for quite some time now. There are several reviews that go into Alex Rosson, his Audeze relationship and his move over to Shinola and now Rosson Designs. I am not going to rehash this history, take a look at the Rosson Designs website and you can get that information. I will say that Alex is a nice person and was helpful in my questions and choices. https://rossonaudiodesign.com/

I have gone thru a lot of headphones over the past several years. Way back when Audeze released the then new LCD 2 R1’s I bought a set. Why? Well I had this itch to see how far headphone technology had advanced since my last foray onto headphones back in the HD 414 and Koss 4AA Pros era. Yes that’s back away for sure! I set a budget of $1,000. Man back then this was A LOT of bucks to discover some new stuff.

The proverbial box picture:


I ordered the LCD2’s a Schiit OG Asgard (really hot) a Schiit OG Lyr (hot too). This was back in the 2012 timeframe or thereabouts. Well the LCD2s were BIG and HEAVY and had great bass but the overall tone was dark to me…a veil overall and I was fine with this…but soon sold all this stuff. Going thru Audeze, Beyerdynamics, Grados, Sennheisers, Audio Technicas, Sony, Focals, Hedds, Final Audio, HI-FI Man, etc….the typical search for the perfect “thing”…

Well after years of testing and listening, I settled in on a D8000 Pro, HD 650, and ADX 5000. Sold everything else and told my wife, I am not buying any more headphones we are set.

My set: #424.


Well after a year the itch came back and I wanted to see how Audeze was doing with all its latest stuff, read some reviews but the D8000 Pros seemed for me to have the planar experience down pat. Then I read a silly titled review something like “the headphones that took me by total surprise or the headphone surprise of the year’…something like this…close enough. I read the review and it was juicy enough to stir my interest in these Rad 0’s. Same person that was associated with those LCD2s way back when, had come up with a 66 mm set of planers with some really “rad” cup colorations. All unique.

So I read all the other internet headphone “gorp” and took a look. $2600. Well they are not cheap. But hey there is a discount code on their site. “YOUARERAD”….well from my skateboard days I was called “Rad Dad”! So this code brought down these $2600 cans to under $2,000! Oh my..such a deal. Some of the reviews stated these were a bit costly. Well my D8000 Pros are almost twice as much. Hmmm.

So we jumped in and contacted Alex Rosson who told me my first choice colors had some imperfections and he might be able to fix them but it would take some time. Well being impatient I told Alex to send me something in the same color tone and I would trust his judgement. Done. 2-day UPS and they are in house. Merry Christmas!

Beautiful workmanship!


The first session was hurried, 20 minutes. First Impression. Excellent. Too Excellent. New Toy Syndrome Excellent? Put them up. Next day.

Hmm Still Excellent. How so?

After reading all the other reviews and experiences I expected to hear a certain sound…and to some extent yes, but more-so no. Different. A totally very good different. Some reviewers drooled over the Rad 0’s, comparing to LCD 4’s, Abyss, other Audeze and the new kids in town…yeah, the $4K TOTL level guys…well this is expected. One reviewer just pontificated on the case, the skimpy cable and the sound for him was just not to his liking. Hmmm.

This is the subjective part. No charts. No Graphs. No trying to convince you I am a frequency chart guru that can explain what your hearing from a curve on a sheet of paper. Nope. Just listening and comparing from years of listening with all types of headphones, amps and dacs.

I used several amps, SE and balanced cables, four different dacs and lots of good music. All kinds.

Comparing these cans for less than $2K new with my D8000 Pros (2x the cost) the Rad 0’s is an exceptional buy. Really exceptional. Top tier stuff IMO.

So, as I listened I was first amazed at the overall tonality. Musical instruments were reproduced very naturally. OMG good most of the time. Vocals, guitars, acoustic instruments, bass, treble all superb.

Alex Rosson got the overall sound experience with this design close to perfection for my ears. It was so easy just to get lost in the music…. IMO this is what I have been looking for all these years. Perfection well nothing is perfect, but this is really close for sound from transducers hanging from a steel band on your head! LOL!


Another reviewer has stated these are heavy. Yes. And the physical mounting mechanism has something to be desired. Hot spots, single point cushioning etc... To me the fit was good and comfortable for my head and the weight was not an issue. I also had no issue with my Hedds. With the D8000 Pros’ I use a ZMF Pilot pad to make them fit well. I am different in that it’s the “sound” that I am looking for. And the fit although is important, it’s not the only thing I look at, especially if the sound is really, really good. I can work around the fit stuff….and with the Rad 0’s its all about the sound for me. Excellent.

Back to the sound…Treble…I have a lot of music I like but when played its too bright and trebly…like listening to razor blades at times. For example, Los Lobos, La Bamba soundtrack and the cut “Come On, Lets Go”. With most other cans, even the D8000 Pros, the treble content in this track is bright and in your face. With the Rad 0’s I listened to this for the first time all the way thru and was totally amazed at how will the high end was presented. Excellent.

Some reviews state vocals either forward or recessed dependent on whether female or male. I did not find this at all. IMO the cans are so good they allow you to hear where in the mix the vocal was in the studio etc.. Some vocals are mic’s so you hear the voice right up front and louder than the other stuff, some just the opposite. Very neutral here to me. What you put in is what you get out. Simple. I like this a lot.

Listen to Eva Cassidy in her Live at Blues Alley is just a solid 10. What a surreal experience. Most live performances come across as live performances, with all their goodness and wort’s. Many of my older Joni Mitchell ear bleed cd’s are presented so well they are a new-found joy to listen to. Musical.

The Rad 0’s will expose mediocre recordings. Expect this. Lots of stuff out there is crap recording wise. But when you get the good stuff playing its indeed a real treat.



I used both the SE cable that comes with the cans and I wired up a balanced cable with some Mogami cable. The wiring for a cable is different from most other cans. The wiring schematic is on the Rosson site. Not hard to understand or make up. Some folks didn’t like that the wiring was different from other vendors and could not use in house cables. Having the balanced cable helps with some amps and having some more EMF available. These cans are relatively easy to drive. The D8000 Pros are easier to drive. To get the same SPL levels the Rad 0’s had to be cranked up from a 9 o’clock to 10:30 position for the same volume. “I” would want a really decent amp to drive the Rad 0’s. Not a big deal but speaks to the impedance and sensitivity.

I used a iFi ICAN amp, tons of power, Pass Labs HPA-1, Schiit Vali 2+, Schiit Magni 3+, Nitsch Piety, and a few others. For dacs I used a MHDT Orchid (TDA 1541 Philips chip, NOS), Soekris 2541, iFi IDSD Pro (Burr Brown Dacs), and a new Schiit Modi Multibit 2. All amps drove the Rad 0’s well.

These headphones have been compared by many reviewers against the D8000 Pros, LCD 3 / 4’s, Abyss, Empyreans, etc.…Some state $2600 is a lot of money for what you get. But these headphones being compared to headphones that cost much more and are in the upper tier of headphone goodness speaks for itself. The Rad 0’s are world class and have so many positive sonic attributes IMO they are a steal for this performance.

After a day of listening with these only across differing gear I them brought out the D8000 Pros for a more in-depth comparison.



Here’s what happened:

The following refers to the D8000 Pros...When I started listening with them to compare with the Rad 0's...

Immediate response was soundstage is not as wide as the Rad 0’s. The overall tone is more alive, more clear or transparent. A delicate presentation out of a murky darkness. Less musical but still very very pleasing…even more realistic but in a more analytical way. The D8000 Pros are like a finely sharpened audio scalpel. Its all there in the details for me. Less colored. The really big differences is in the soundstage width and accuracy of instruments are reproduced compared to their real life sound.…Less of a veil. More high-end energy with the D8000 Pros. Remember I said the tone with the Rad 0's was very very good...well the tone or the accuracy or portrayal of musical instruments IMO is even more accurate with the D8000 Pros.

Now I am being really exacting but using very subjective adjectives that many of us confuse. So, what I hear may not be described in words that you use in this crazy hobby.

After several hours of going back and forth the more meaty and fuller Rad 0’s I found the D8000 Pros lacking in the overall make me smile “area” for live presentations. The D8000 Pros with their more analytical sound and lesser and more centered soundstage are not as enjoyable at times. Again, depending on the music and how its mixed and recorded.

Some vocals with the Rad 0’s sounded a bit diffused a little less focused or “tight” …this trait IMO is due to the width of the soundstage. Layering on both cans is excellent.

I thought that I would never say this. The Rad 0’s are more fun to listen to. The D8000 Pros are more technically accurate with a smaller soundstage. Simple as that. The tonality difference is really very noticeable.

Tracks with a lot of high-end energy IMO are easier to listen to with the Rad 0’s.




Once you start listening with the Rad 0’s the difference in tonality disappears and your drawn into the overall musical presentation and I smile a lot. But going back to the D8000 Pros its like gee these have less of a veil, a tad better bass (bass is more taunt and defined with the D8000 Pros…but a smaller soundstage, more focused…choices.

When cranked up the Rad 0’s with most music has never made me smile this much in a long time. Exceptional enjoyment. You can be a jackass in between two piles of hay…wondering which one is better. For this audio jackass I decided to eat both piles of hay! Lol!

So, in conclusion, if your looking for a really great all-around set of planers for what I would consider a fair price the Rad 0’s will not disappoint. Owning both these stellar cans is wonderful. The only way to really tell if your going to like these and other cans is to audition then on your head.

Alex Rosson IMO has hit the mark with the Rad 0’s. He has created a wonderful set of headphones that are musical and just lovely to listen with. Job well done Alex !

Hope you enjoyed the read…

Alex

Well here we go again, just when you thought the Magni design was maxed out and could offer no more. From the Original OG to the Magni 3 +, discrete and op amp designs. Great measuring versions and a phenomenal measuring version. Whats not to please here ? Its 10 years ago that the OG Magni was introduced. Now for the new Magni on the block!

A New Look!


Having just purchased a Magni 3 + amp awhile ago and really liking it. Having purchased a Vali 2 + and tested a Vali 2 ++. Having a Original Magni 3. Why would one want this new Magni 3+ ? I am listening with it as I write this experience using a set of D8000 Pros fed with a Soekris 2541 Sign R2R dac.

Well maybe your just getting into this "at times" insane hobby? Maybe you just have money to burn? Maybe you don't. Maybe you like having more than one amp around to play with. Maybe you just like to see for yourself what all the hype is really about. Having things in house and being able to use, listen and determine for your "ears" is IMO the only way to really tell if something lives up to all the usual hype or not. (IMO of course). For only $109, what have you to loose? And yes the price increased a whole $10! With the economy and inflation this amp is still a "steal" for what it delivers.

Internals. New Case. New Layout.

No Excuses! What! Schiit states in its description. Not in design, not in specs, not in the pot (hmmm.), not in parts quality, not in looks, not in a new chassis, not in safety, and not in manufacturing, USA suppliers, made in Corpus Christi, Texas. Even though the pot is a "sorted" potentiometer, I never liked the small form factor pots (RK09 etc). They do work and thousands of them are out there in all kinds of gear, but every once in awhile they can get scratchy or nosiey one and you can detect the wiper action at times. Also low level tracking can also be an issue. I have sent back some amps for a pot replacement. But a little pot lube and several rotations often fixes this issue if you experience it. Yes a big RK 27 pot wont fit in the chassis...sorry. This is the really only thing I dont like about small form factor devices. To be fair I own "many" of them and this doesn't stop me from enjoying the heck out of them. Also the unit I received worked flawlessly. No noise, no scratchy stuff and the low level tracking with my ears was well very good. So maybe this "sorted" thing is real!

Magni 3+ on Top. Magni + on Bottom. Notice any differences?


I was sent the Magni + for a honest review. Thanks to Schiit for sending me this unit. I am not paid or enumerated. Having been around for many years I try to tell or share my "experience" with products. We all here differently. Listen to different music at various quality levels. This is a serious hobby for me and I just like sharing with the ride with the headphone public. I have had many Schiit products from the OG Asgard and OG Lyr and so many since then.

So on to the amp itself.

The unit I received was the discrete Magni 3+, not the Magni Heretec.
Color was silver. But its not like the silver color of previous Magni's...quite different.
Very smooth matte silver grey to me finish. Slight rough feeling. A very nice "embossed" Schiit Logo on top.
Only two screws on the back holding the case on which also hold the case to the RCA Jacks.
Note the RCA jacks did move in position. When you get the package, it looks like a typical Schiit shipping box.
When you take the amp out, its like Whoa! Whats this. Not your fathers silver aluminum case!

Can you see the light?


Notice there are more ventilation holes in the new Magni +
One the top and the sides.
No power on LED lie in the Magni 3.
This went away in the Magni 3+ series.

Magni 3 + and Magni +. Less Screws. More Ventilation Holes. Missing gain switch on the rear.
Notice the ON/OFF switch now protrudes less.

Side panel ventilation holes added.

Magni 3+ and Magni + Layouts have changed. Headphone jack, gain switch etc.

Specs:
Maximum Power, 16 ohms: 2.8W RMS per channel
Maximum Power, 32 ohms: 2.4W RMS per channel
Maximum Power, 50 ohms: 1.6W RMS per channel
Maximum Power, 300 ohms: 410mW RMS per channel
Maximum Power, 600 ohms: 215mW RMS per channel

Power specs are identical for the Heretic Version.
Power specs are identical for the Magni 3+.

THD+N:
High Gain: Less than 0.0007% (-102dB) ref 1V RMS, 300 ohms
Low Gain: Less than 0.0003% (-110dB) ref 1V RMS, 300 ohms

IMD:
High Gain: Less than -103dB ref 1V RMS, 300 ohms, CCIF
Low Gain: Less than -112dB ref 1V RMS, 300 ohms, CCIF

SNR:
High Gain: Greater than 110dB, unweighted, ref to 2V RMS
Low Gain: Greater than 121dB, unweighted, ref to 2V RMS
Crosstalk: Less than -85dB at 1V RMS out
Output Impedance: Less than 0.2 ohms at either gain
Input Impedance: 25k ohms
Gain: -8dB, 0dB, or 14dB, selectable via rear switch

The design topology is a fully discrete, fully complementary bi-polar, symmetrical current-feedback with a driver stage and Vbe multiplier, no caps in the signal path and a DC servo. It has overcurrent sense and protect, DC correction, DC power input and muting relay. Its like a small speaker amp.

Magni + Internals:
Clean layout, excellent soldering (flow). No errant wires. Typical Jason Stoddard.


Comes with a 24VA. 14 VAC wall wort, no switching stuff. The rails are +/- 16 volts
(thats 32 volts p-p)...and some 8,000 uf filter capacitance. Notice on the pcb it shows +/- 17V Mine was boxed with a 16VAC, 1000ma. wall wort.
Made in Taiwan, Not China.
:>)

If you compare these discrete design specs to the op amp Heretic version I was amazed at how close these two very different parts amps are. Outstanding design.

Ok thats the boring part for many end users!

For those that want a power switch up front, sorry still in the back. I do notice the power switch doesn't stick out as far with the new case and design. But the new three position gain capability is on the front! AND! the headphone jack was moved! Well away from the volume knob. For some out there this was a "nit". Well twirl the knob now fellow.



The new leek, seamless, fastener-free design that includes a lot of cool detail, like a embossed logo and knob pocket…and we even managed to include a custom machined aluminum knob or push-button.

Mechanicals on the back show the RCA jack locations have moved slightly.
Its made in the USA. USA Steel. USA companies. I really like this.

Why move the headphone jack? Well to make room for a 3 position front gain switch? To alleviate some complaints about being too close to the volume knob? Better circuit flow and less power supply noise.

Negative gain (-8db) allow for the usage of those high sensitivity IEM's. I dont partake in these devices but for some this is an issue.

Small Form Factor Schiit Amps:

Which one is not alike or " Where's Waldo ! "

Compared to the Magni 3 +, which I really do like this amp is pretty much close to it in specs, some things do stick out in the specs like 6000uf vs 8000uf filter capacitance. The Wall-wort is a 24VA 14 volt vs a 24VA 15 volt. Some of the other specs are better with the Magni 3+, but whether you as a human being can really tell the difference with headphones in a real world listening area....well probably not.

2.4 watts RMS. Thats Root Mean Square. 2.4 watts RMS at 32 Ohms. Not peak. Why is this important? The RMS value is most important in the case of an AC signal. Because the instantaneous value of an AC signal varies continuously with respect to time. Unlike a DC signal, which is relatively constant. RMS voltage is also known as the equivalent DC voltage because the RMS value gives the amount of AC power drawn by a resistor similar to the power drawn by a DC source. Its sometimes referred to as continuous power. Why dwell on this? Well Schiit states on its website:

From Schiits website:


A $109 amp that puts out 2.4 watts RMS. 1.6 watts at 50 ohms. Awesome.

If you had a Magni 3 + would it be a giant leap to get a Magni +, well probably not.
But if your getting into this hobby and want a really GOOD amp, with some of the best discrete parts for ONLY $109...THIS IS IT. Stop do not pass. Just go order one now.

So how does it "sound" or not "sound". The following is a very subjective opinion of what I hear with my ears. YMMV. Going back and forth between the Magni 3 + and Magni + they really sound very similar. Its really very hard to discern any real world differences if your honest and level set volumes. No detection of the amp even beginning to strain to reproduce anything with any of my cans. Compared to the recent Nitch Piety which I describe as a straight wire with a twist...the Magni + is more like or closer to the straight wire with gain....its a really decent SS amp with few if any real worts.

Cans used:
HD 650 impedance 300R, sensitivity 98 dB/mW
ADX 5000 impedance 420R, sensitivity 100 dB/mW
D8000 Pro impedance 60R, sensitivity 98dB/mW

This latest version to me is like the very pinnacle of the Schiit Magni hierarchy. Its like a polished gemstone. It just sits there and says "Hey! Only $109!...whatcha going to sell now ? I swear this little amp will make many other amps costing a ton more feel like they are late to the party...and need a new dress! Oh and its a preamp as well.

Absolutely no turn on or turn off thump with cans plugged in and volume turned up to 10 oclock. Yeah, dont make this a practice. I can even use the - gain position for listening with the D8000 Pros...the volume knob is at 3pm position, but it works.
The amp is dead silent here in all gain positions with the vol cranked up, no music playing.

Looking at the power specs of the Magni 3+ and Magni +, well they are the same. It never gets "Hot" Just warm to the touch. So in wrapping-up, if your just getting into this crazy hobby, you do not have to spend and arm and a leg to have a very good listening setup and experience.

As Schiit states "It’s literally the only headphone amp you’ll ever need." And I whole hardheartedly concur.

But what fun would that be ?

Alex
:>)

Added Spec comparison Magni + and Magni Heretic

Well after owning most all of the Magnis from Schiit Audio and still owning a Magni OG, a Magni 3+ (also a Magni Hersey - sold), and having gone thru so many amps over the years. I am a sucker for new designs and at a low cost of $149 how could I resist in not trying out a Piety?




One thing about this amp, that is very important to me is not the amp itself. Nope. Its about how and why this amp came to be. In a cut throat industry at times when it often all about the money. Mine is bigger, better than yours. Here I saw a person who was willing to help another person get started in this crazy industry of audio. Yes a collaboration between Schiit and a new young startup called Nitsch. Jason Stoddard giving one of his headphone amp designs to help a guy called Christian Tanimoto a.k.a. CEE TEE. My hats off to Jason and all the best for Nitsch as well!

Well way back when Jason was pontificating about Thunderdomes and the like, testing stuff in house and having many versions of Magni type amps floating around there was mention of an "Apostolic" edition that was good but stuff like parts, availability etc precluded it from becoming a Schiit offering. From what I read at Nitch's website the many discrete parts and availability deep six'd the amp.

We have no schematic to really examine Jasons design. Being and EE type I love to explore schematics, but with all the copying of stuff from low cost folks around the world, protecting your assets is a necessary thing now-a-days. That said the Piety is a new take on the Continuity circuit used in the Schiit Jotenheim 2. I have had both the OG JOT and the new Jot 2 here for months. The Jot 2 has always been a favorite here...so imagine having a "mini" Jot of sorts! Piety!



Piety is tuned or tweaked for more of a tube like sound. Lots of transistors paralleled that creates a kind of triode - like sound. Half the size of a Jot 2, having a whole lot less power but at a lower cost of $149. The Jot 2 is $399. So having a whole lot less power, does it stop you from having a great listening experience? No.




So the specs:



Yes the amp is not a powerhouse compared to other amps, half the power of a Schiit Magni 3 + or Magni +. But as measured by some on other sites, it was touted with a 300 R load, low gain of producing over 30 Volts Peak to Peak!
And when it does clip, its a soft clipping much like a tube amplifier. Think - Having a SS amp that has tube like characteristics without the hassle of tubes ! Piety!

Rest of Specs:



Headphones I used in listening:

HD 650 impedance 300R, sensitivity 98 dB/mW
ADX 5000 impedance 420R, sensitivity 100 dB/mW
D8000 Pro impedance 60R, sensitivity 98dB/mW

The Stack:


I did not use any IEM's not my cup of tea...only normal headphones here. I did compare and contrast to my Magni OG, Magni 3+ and a Vali 2 +. All decent amps from Schiit.

First thing I noticed with the headphones I presently use is in HIGH gain with the HD650's driven by a Soekris 2541 dac I did not have to move the volume knob past 9 o'clock to get really LOUD levels. On LOW gain I moved the volume pot knob to 10-11 oclock to achieve the same "sane" listening level. So power for high impedance cans with decent sensitivity is NOT an issue. No sense of the amp straining at all. Same experience with the 420 ohm ADX 5000's. IMO the ADX 5000s are what the Senn 800 series should have been, again MY opinion...They come alive with the Piety...just expansive, clear, open, articulate...and really decent accurate bass....Any of the Senn 8XX series will sound SPECTACULAR with this amp.

With the D8000 Pros's at 60 ohms, it turns out about the same positions, interesting. One thing in switching from LOW to HIGH gain, the usual it sounds better in HIGH gain experience happens to me. But if you take the time to level set with a meter then test the differences are much more subtle. But there are differences for sure. HIGH gain for me is the preferred listening position with my cans. More fire and ice here....things to me just stick out better, crisper or more articulate. Wish I knew more about what the circuit is doing here with feedback.

When we stop the music and turn the volume knob full on, the amp us dead silent with all of my cans. Again no real sensitive stuff here anymore. The only negative thing I did run into is the volume pot on HIGH gain did exhibit some pot wiper noise. The only real weak point for me in an amp at this price level and form factor is the small pot used. Even though its a decent pot, I would much rather have a larger ALPS RK27 pot...but that doesn't fit well here. Also low level tracking might be an issue as well, my unit tracked nicely here.

NOTE: I contacted Christian on this issue, and FYI I also have seen this issue with other vendors small pots. The usual fix is to use some pot lube or replace the pot. I squirted in some pot lube and this helped out a lot. Done.



Take a look at all those discrete parts!
A really different white pcb. All the solder joints looked very well done. No flux residue etc...Very neatly laid out.
Just admire this simplistic/build, layout....great job here IMO.

Typical Schiit layout. Neat. Clean. Easy to discern flow. No wires ! Where are the wires ?? Easy to assemble. Easy to take apart. 4 screws, a knob, and 2 screws for the RCA jacks. Easy.

Note that Piety in design is pretty much the opposite of the Schiit Magni Hersey, the Hersey being an all op amp design, some of the best measuring specs out there. Piety has distortion characteristics built in the design all resembling tube amps. Soft clipping etc.. So how does it sound or not sound, shouldn't an amp be just a straight wire with gain ? :>)

One of the folks on the net that I admire for his honesty and candid opinion is a guy referred to as "atomicbob, Audio Engineer" who often measures stuff and posts at another website. He posted a good set of measurements and technical explanations to the performance and attributes of the Piety. Also here is a statement from him posted at Nitschsound.com



I who heartily agree with this comment. This is not a measurement amp, but does measure fairly well, but not a SINAD killer!

Left / Right ....


So back to the original Magni 3 era and the three amp prototypes. All submitted to the Schiit staff for listening. The Apostolic edition was the one that was most "musical". But again due to out of production parts killed it. So it was squirreled away in Jasons office. After hearing it in Schiits office, Christian fell in love with this design. An example of great audio gear just not making it out the door for whatever reason. And now this is history as 1,000 units have been sold in less than 12 hours. Whats that tell ya....almost sight "unheard".

After an hour listening last night, all really great. I stopped and shut everything down reluctantly...Got up at 5:30 am took some pix and started level setting and setting the switchbox's up do some AB'ing. First listen was "yup it still sounds amazing."

We all hear differently, have differing tastes in music, favorite songs, and recordings. This part is VERY SUBJECTIVE. Period.

The old I want to go and re-listen to ALL my music syndrome was present in spades. Its that good or that different. So the Piety gets a "A" from me here.



When level set the differences between the Vali 2 + and the Piety were hard to discern for me. When switching to the Magni 3 + I noticed a much more stark difference. The Magni 3 + IMO was more analytical, less warmth, less veil...musical but not as soft as the Piety. Soft for the Piety doesn't mean its well...soft or toned done, its listening profile here for me was just a tad softer...maybe those triode like characteristics..

I found that I really liked the Piety with my higher impedance cans, the HD 650 and ADX 5000's...what a superlative pairing. I dont think the HD 650 ever sounded this nice. WIth the ADX 5000's its another level up for sure. 10/10.

Note: No nasty thumps when turning off/on! Great!

The D8000 Pros worked well, but my older ears seem to prefer the brighter sound signature of the ADX 5000's here.
The Piety had no issues driving the D8000's very loud. No breakups, audible distortion. More than enough power.
No feeling that the amp was lacking in EMF.

The overall feeling listening with the Piety is its really and enjoyable sound. It is a musical amp, that makes you just want to listen for hours. With well recorded music its as good as it gets...the limits are your source material and headphones. This is an amp that has gain but the wire part is not perfectly straight, if ya get my drift!



I look forward to countless hours listening with this amp, Its that good. Congratulations to all that ordered one, several of the community have been lucky enough to get one already in early testing etc. Many more will be getting theirs soon! Christian is going to be really busy for several weeks getting these all out to you all. This amp will be a collectors edition of sorts. A solid state tube amp with no tubes...now how did Jason figure this one out!

From Jason: " It's an interesting application of Continuity, creating an output stage with a square law characteristic, hence the tube-like distortion."

Thanks Christian for taking this one on !!

Alex

NOTE: Please post your reviews as well!

Vali 2 + was touted as being a low cost hybrid tube amplifier or as Schiit states: "The most capable Affordable Tube Hybrid Amp On the Planet"
Well Schiits new Vali 2 ++ is as well !

How's that for a statement!
So did Jason pull off another really interesting trick!
Or is it just another Luddite?

The all new Schiit Vali 2 ++


I have a Vali 2 +, several months now and it has become one of my favorite amps for listening with headphones. Its really that good of an amp. Seriously it has punched well above its low cost of $149. I wrote up a review on Head-Fi here: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/schiit-audio-vali-2.24959/
Just scroll down a bit and you can read my Vali 2 + experience.

The Vali 2 + has worked very well with many headphones and I was really curious about this new Vali 2 ++ or Vali 2 Plus Plus. The same amp just with a different tube. Simple eh ? Imagine you can buy a nice Western Electric 396A that costs more than the amp and just plug it in with no "expensive" tube adapter....and if you do this, I like Jason think your nuts...but hey....vanity, ego, wallet. Have at it!

Or you can just try the tube that comes with the Vali 2 ++. In my case the Vali 2 ++ I requested came with a tube that was unmarked, I got out my old age magnifiers and did find a very light "W", the numbers "57" and a strange looking "9 or "y"...so I have no idea what tube this really is. The scant inkings are not contiguous and could be part of date codes, other tube makers id etc...But it does work, lights up nicely and gets warm. Schitt states the plate voltage is 60 volts. Its fully "coherent" or has Schiits coherence design. Its a fully discrete, current-mode noninverting hybrid topology.

The new tube family really shines brighter then the Vali 2 +.


It is designed to work with the a slightly different tube family. But the tube families are quite comparable and sound similiar and measure similar as well. The tube supplied is supposed to be a 6N3P but the numbers I see dont support this but I have to trust Schiit on this. Other tubes that can be inserted in this amp are 5670, 2C52, 6ECC42 and WE396A. Plug and Play! or Plug and Pay!

So why another Vali 2 version?

Well Schitt tells us the large stocks of 6BZ7 tubes has well....dried up. Sorry. No more lots of 10,000 + of these tubes around to fill all those little white ceramic sockets in the many Vali's that Schitt needs to fill its orders. So a change was called for if they were going to continue this type of low cost hybrid amp...that they seem to have hit on some secret sauce in this simple design. So Voila....5670 pinout, new family, different pin-out and some circuit board land changes. Ever so slight and a new "Black" colored pcb. One thing I did notice that on the Vali 2 + I have it states "Tube Hybrid Amplifier" where the Vali 2 ++ has "The Luddite" on it!!

Whats a Luddite ?
"Luddite" is now a blanket term used to describe people who dislike new technology. Hmmmm.
Internal Schiit Amusement ? LoL!



The Vali 2 ++ and my Vali 2 + (with 6CG7)


Before we get into the sound stuff....I took the covers of the Vali's and took some pix. Its hard to tell if anything really was changed. According to Jason its basically just a new pinout and two land changes. An astute observer will notice the tube sockets are 180 degrees apart. All is is pretty much the same. One thing from a build and simplicity standpoint is how easy it is to take apart, how so few parts, screws etc are needed to make such a simple but solid little amp. No wires hanging out acting as antennas, even the case ground is done via a pcb mounting standoff. IMO its a great design and layout.



A little talk about the specs. The usual discussion is pay more get better specs. Pay more get better parts. Better parts lead to better specs? Longer life ? Less
Failures? etc...etc...etc..

Well for $149 if this thing plays for 2 years I am happy, but this thing should last way longer than that, well maybe the tube might not...it depends.

Ok real specs: (From Schiits Site):

Maximum Power, 32 ohms: 1500mW RMS per channel
Maximum Power, 50 ohms: 1000mW RMS per channel
Maximum Power, 300 ohms: 400mW RMS per channel
Maximum Power, 600 ohms: 200mW RMS per channel

Note: Maximum power rated at less than 10% THD for tube and tube hybrid amps, as compared to less than 1% for solid state.

Low Gain:
Frequency Response: 20Hz-20Khz, +/-0.02db at 300 ohms, 20Hz-20Khz, +/-0.6db at 32 ohms, -3dB at 1MHz
THD: <0.008%, 20Hz-20KHz, at 1V RMS, 300 ohms
IMD: <0.015%, CCIR, 300 ohms
SNR: >114db, unweighted, referenced to 1V RMS
Crosstalk: -90dB, 20Hz-20KHz, 300 ohms
Output Impedance: 0.4 ohms

High Gain:
Frequency Response: 20Hz-20Khz, +/-0.02db at 300 ohms, 20Hz-20Khz, +/-0.6db at 32 ohms, -3dB at 300kHz
THD: <0.3%, 20Hz-20KHz, at 1V RMS, 300 ohms
IMD: <0.5%, CCIR, 300 ohms
SNR: >100db, unweighted, referenced to 1V RMS
Crosstalk: -90dB, 20Hz-20KHz, 300 ohms
Output Impedance: 1.8 ohms

Input Impedance: 50K ohms
Gain: 5 (14dB) or 1 (0dB)
Topology: Coherence™: tube voltage gain with convolved bipolar current mode inverter and discrete bipolar class A driver and Class AB output stage
Protection: delayed start and fast shut-down with muting relay
Power Supply: wall wart with 24VAC and 6VAC outputs, regulated HV and LV rails for tube and bipolar components, 6V AC heater
Power Consumption: 9W
Size: 5 x 3.5 x 2.75”
Weight: 1 lb

Ok specs out of the way...pretty much the same as Vali 2 +!


If the amp has any real shortcomings IMO its that small volume pot. Its prone to low volume mis-tracking and several reports of they become noisy if not used alot over time.

Some never see these issues at all. I have had noisy pots and just take some cleaner and let it flow down into the pot and rotate the vol knob several times, quiet pot..for a loooong time. Schiit couldnt get a nice larger pot in this enclosure and price point IMO. Again one of those small things at $149 is well ...a small point. Some will as always not like the power switch and gain switch on the back, typical Schiit. I dont mind this at all.

Schiit has a nice hefty linear power supply, line regulation is on every voltage rail. The unique wall-wort supplies 2 AC voltages, one for the heater and the other for the low-voltage rail for the output and the high voltage rail for the tube. It has a "funny" DIN plug connector that you will not confuse with all the other wall worts you muigh have lying around.

After many headphones I have settled in on Final Audio D8000 Pros and Audio Technica ADX 5000's. The D8000 Pros are 60 ohms with a sensitvity of 98dB/mW. The ADX 5000s are 420 ohms with a sensitivity of 100 dB/mW. I have no really low impedance IEMs. I also have many other amps in house. from $99 to high up in the thousands of dollars space. I like to listen to music, not gear. So an amp just has to work and let me listen and enjoy the recording...it has to melt away. Thats my real test.

Being a techie type of person who has done alot of DIY stuff, a Amateur Radio Extra Class Operator, a technican and engineer....I do like circuits, and techie stuff...knobs, filters, etc but many times that extra stuff isnt really necessary for a great listening experience. Nothing like a billet aluminum case 1/2" thick, with smooth volume knobs, meters and all kinds of lights....the Schiit Vali 2 ++ is not that amp. Its small, doenst have mega-watts of power but handles most headphone loads really well. There is something magical about this little amp.



I am not going to get into the stuff I already posted in my Vali 2 + review about Class A and Class AB and stuff.

Power? Well its not the amp to drive your Susvaras, but most everything else will work just fine. About a watt of power around 50 ohms and 400 mw at 300ohms..it handles both my ADX and Final audio cans superbly as well as a well worn set of HD 650's. No issue to make your nose bleed at all. I find I can run low gain and still get decent performance, on high gain it can get way too loud easily. I hear no auduble distortion when listening. I hear no noise or hum when the music stops.

Side by side with the Schiit Magni 3 +, its hard to tell differences, they are there but subtle. No where near an order of magnitude different. Just different. My subjective side tells me the Vali 2 ++ is the better sounding amp. There is a uncanny clear, crisp but musical presentation. With my ADX 5000's which are light and airy..like a much improved Sennheiser HD 800X can, the live presentations at times are just like being in the audience at times, its that good. Listening to Eva Cassidy "Live at Blues Alley" is just a 10. Period. Sarah McLachlans "Angel" is again another 10. Throw in the D8000 Pros, its just even more musical and a tad warm or rich...you can get lost for hours in the music...passes my test in spades.



Compare to other amps...yes, as good...yes. More power in most cases. Nope. Better sound. Nope just different a tad. Does it sound 20 times better than one of my high dollar amps that cost 20 x more? No. It just proves to me you dont have to spend 20X more dollars for exceptional sound. Does it have a big toriodal transformer, no, does it matter, my ears say no! Go figure. I really dont think this Vali 2 + + can be improved anymore than what it is. Its one of those special amps, that at this price consistently performs like someone spent some big bucks to get right.

Would I change out my Vali 2 + for a 2 ++ version...well IMO they are really so dang close it would be a side-grade. But if your an amp person, hey its only $149. With the costs out there right now to me, this is a steal. The Vali 2 + is now a collectors item ! They aint makin'em anymore! And its still really really good as well...if you dont have a tube amp and want to play, here is your chance ! Me having a Vali 2 + already and none of the new tube family tubes in house the 2 ++ version would be like a $149 new tube family adapter! No real need here to go to a Vali 2 + + but I am an amp lover and well...... "smiling here.." and ya cant take it with ya!

Enjoy the music, thanks to Schiit Audio for letting me audition this amp.
This is my honest real world experience with it.

Alex

Note: Someone asked me if the power supply for the new Vali 2 ++ was the same as the Vali 2 +


Socket Saver:

Schiit Vali 2+, a low cost hybrid tube headphone amplifier or as Schiit states: "The Most Capable Affordable Tube Hybrid Amp."

The OG Vali 2 had been out for 5 years and in November of 2020 they came out with the 2+ version of the Vali 2. It has 50% more power and almost a 10db lower noise floor than the original. So we have enough power to drive a wider variety of headphones, planar magnetics to sensitive IEMs. The primary difference in the Vali 2+ and the OG Vali 2 is the 2+ has a driver stage and matched paired devices in the output stage. Increased power supply filtering, work in gain optimization, resulted in a lower noise floor. It has a custom taper ALPS pot, some folks dont know what a taper really is but its related to how the amplitude comes up as you turn the volume knob. The gain switch and power switch are on the back side. It has a real linear power supply, no switching anywhere. Regulated rails. Nichicon audio-spec capacitors and precision thin film resistors round it out. I like this design. Alot.



Well I have had this little gem here in house for a few months now. Time to do a little write-up about this often-overlooked gem of a headphone amplifier from Schiit. A $149 steal of an amp that will make you smile often, As I write this review, I am listening with it and a pair of ADX 5000 headphone which are 420 ohms and on the bright side for many. To me they are a wonderful dynamic set of cans that are open and airy.... with the Vali 2+ it's a perfect paring. More on that later.

I have had most of the Schiit amps here over time, from Asgard 1 to Asgard 3, Lyr OG to Lyr 3, Magni OG to Magni 3 +, Vahalla 2, Jot 1 and Jot 2...and many others. So why does one buy a lower priced amp when you have all these others. Well, it's because I can! LOL....life is short and there is no time to waste!! For $149 it's not a big deal in the scheme of audio things. I am a very technical and analytic person, love circuits and amplifiers for sure. Some folks think just because an amp has a tube in it it's going to sound "tubey"...not always so. Where is that tube in the circuit, in the input, in the middle or at the output...how is it biased, how is it coupled, feedback...etc.



With the Vali 2+ the amp you get 1.5 watts at 32 ohms, 1 watt at 50 ohms, 300 milliwatts at 300 ohms and 200 milliwattts at 600 ohms. Not too shabby. Schiit notes max power is rated at less than 5% for tube and tube hybrid amps.... compared to the often less than 1% for solid state amps....so in this case there is more distortion than in a run-of-the mill SS amp. Tubes are tubes and distortion is one of those things that you live with...but it's not the only thing that makes an amp sound good, great or bad. The Schiit Vali 2 + does not sound bad at all.

It has both a low and high gain setting via a switch on the back as well as the usual Schiit power switch in the back....on low gain the specs for THD are <0.009% (300 ohms) with a SNR of >115 db, unweighted referenced to 1 V RMS. In high gain the THD rises to < 0.3% (300 ohms) with a SNR of >100 db referenced to 1 volt RMS. The impedance for low/high gains are 0.4 and 1.8 ohms respectively. This amp distortion that is 1000 - 10,000 x higher than the Schiit Magni Hersey ( which I have sold)....and Schiit does not hide this fact. Lots of second harmonics. Euphonic? Blind, level matched tests with other amps with much less distortion was really hard to tell them apart! YMMV. But as Schiit states on their site you have to look at the "whole" picture.... including your headphones or transducers at -40db to -60 db themselves....go figure!

For those asking is this a Class A or AB amp Schiit states the topology is Coherence: ™tube voltage gain with convolved bipolar current mode inverter and discrete bipolar class A driver and Class AB output stage." It has a protect delayed start relay and fast shutdown with a muting relay. I did notice a slight "pop" when powering up/down at times. Even with this protection built in I always power on and off my stuff with the headphones NOT plugged in whether its a $99 amp or a $5000 amp, with the volume turned down all the way. It's just me. Remember the days when dropping the needle on a record not knowing the volume was still turned up and getting the shock of your audio life!!...Not Good. LOL.

It's not an amp for Susvaras or Abyss 1266 TC's but for most everything else it has plenty enough current for low impedance transducers and voltage swing for 300 or 600 ohm headphones....and its driving my 420 ohm ADX 5000's very well ATM.



Wanna play with tubes? Sure, go ahead: 6DJ8, 6922, ECC88, 2492, 6N1P, 6CG7 and even more according to Schiit. I even tried a 6SN7/6922 adapter and use a nice old US Navy Sylvania JAN-CHS-6SN7 GT tube with good results. And there is only ONE tube to play with...no extra cost for matching sets etc....wonderful. IMO the stock tube I got was just great, no need to chase tube nirvana unless this is your thing.... have at it. Only 60 volts on the plate so these should last 5000 hours easily unless you drop one on the floor! Schiit is selling these tubes at $10 at present.

The small size is easily stackable and fits almost anywhere. The wall wort is special and has a different plug that goes into the Vali 2+ box. It's got 2 AC voltages for the tube heaters and the low voltage "rail" for the output and the high voltage "rail". It's a DIN connector. In a way with all your wall wort's wondering what fits with what at times....no mistaking this here.... it's the DIN or it's not going to work! Simple, eh?



Listening with the ADX 5000's on high gain, stop the music and turn up the volume pot all the way and its dead silent. No audible hiss or hum. Nice. For loud music the volume pot is at 9 to 10 o'clock. On Low gain with the ADX 5000's the volume pot is a t 12 o'clock ish.....more than enough power.

Need a pre-amp output, the Vali 2+ has you covered. Drive your powered monitors, easily. Muted when using headphones. It has a 2-year limited warranty and 90 days on the tubes. Not too shabby for a $149 amp. Most at this level are the 12 months at best warranty. I had a microphonic tube and contacted Schiit and they immediately replaced the tube with a NOS Channel Master tube. Solid now, and awesome Schiit Customer Service!

How does it sound? Well IMO an amp should not sound. It should just amplify the input signal with no changes at all...at least that's the perfect straight wire with gain definition for amps.... But many of us objectivist's turned into semi-subjectivists know or think all amps have some sort of flavor added to the input and the opinion on this "magic" is all over the floor and debate.....a never-ending discussion.

Well, the Vali 2+ doesn't sound real "tubey" to me like a BH Crack. It's more like a decent SS amp to me but a tad on the soft side of things. It's like having a equalizer in the circuit with the high end cranked down a few clicks.... compared to a Magni 3, 3+ or Hersey....closer to a Jot 2 sound profile for me at times. It's not as crisp as a Asgard 3 to me or a high-end SS amp. But again, we are splitting hairs here to me. I tried several tubes, and they all pretty much were the same sounding to me ear. I did have a slight preference to an old US NAVY NOS 6SN7 tube using an adapter. See pix. YMMV.



It seems to work very well for me with brighter headphones like my ADX 5000's. I tried my Final Audio D8000 Pros as well at a lower impedance of 60 ohms and it drives them well. Sennheiser HD 600 or 650's no issues with power at all. For this price level its decent for sure.

What kind of music did I listen to? All kinds, ripped FLACS, Qobuz. Laura Marling, James Taylor, Joe Satriani, Beth Hart, Feist, Donald Fagen, Spyrogyra, Fourplay, Brandi Carlise, Natalie Cole, Beatles, Eric Clapton, Roberta Flack etc....the results were more biased via the recording quality and headphone qualities than the Vali 2+. Very good amp for a wide variety of music.

So are there any real negatives here? Well with the crazy supply channel issues this amp is on a backorder as of the date of this write-up. So is it ho-hum? Well not really, its a super special "entry" level hybrid tube amp that for this price is well worth the cost of admission. The power switch on the rear? Really? Oh well. Tis' what it is.... LOL.

I have and will continue to thoroughly enjoy this Vali 2 + amp and just might try some different tubes for grins after all I did say "ya can't take it with ya!"...

Alex

I have been in this hobby for a long time and I really enjoy great musical reproduction. When it’s done well it makes me smile a lot and I get lost in listening…well recently I had a purchase that makes this feeling and experience happen a lot!



I had 24 amps in house at one time last year and am down to 10 at the moment, and am selling a few so it will go down to 5 - 6. Being an electrical engineering type I have fallen in love with amplifiers and their design and performance. The most important thing with an amp is its ability to amplify without getting in the way of those analog audio signals.

There are many really great choices for headphone amplifiers out there from $99 to thousands of dollars. All pretty good, some more so than others for various reasons. Perform an honest blind AB controlled level set test and it’s amazing how well they all are in comparison.

But every once in a while, an am amp comes along that measures ok, is simple, but has that “magic” that cannot be explained alone via specifications or cost.

The Pass Labs HPA-1 is one of these “rare” amps.



My HPA-1




Pass is for sure a well-known name in the industry and Nelson Pass is a “giant” in this area. There are a few of these guys around that I really admire and Nelson, Paul Klipsch, Mike Moffat, Jason Stoddard, David Hafler, Wayne Colburn etc…a long list and some are not with us anymore. But their contribution lives on. I loved the favorite word Paul Klipsch often used “bull!”……when a claim that was made that he vehemently disagreed to.

The designer of the HPA-1 is not on this list. Yet. Jam Somasundram is the man primarily behind the HPA-1. There are tons of great reviews of the HPA-1 amp, and the history of Jam and how he got to Pass Labs and the design criteria of the HPA-1. This amp is not the nice new “shiny” thing, its old. 2016 to be exact. But it has stood the test of time.

Many folks have this particular amp on their TOTL or End Game list, Steven Guttenberg has used this amp as his reference amp for years.

This experience is about the HPA-1 with my “stuff” and not a comparison against many other really good amps and those nice new shiny things that come out each month from a myriad of vendors. So, if your reading this to find out if the HPA-1 is better than your “super” amp…you can stop reading now. As Jason Stoddard often states “We dont tell you how things sound”…but “I” will give you some clues!

Nothing is perfect in audio, but the illusion at times is really good and having the HPA-1 in house I got really close to being there many times. More so than a lot of other good amps.

My “chain” (as the younger folks use of the word)…comprises of mostly REDBOOK 16 bit / 44.1khz ripped CD’s, using DbPoweramp, JRiver or Foobar 2000 in bitperfect mode. I am not a firm believer of High Res, Over or Up sampling…just good ole Redbook please…give me the bits please, just the bits…my dac is a Schiit Bifrost 2 into one of the many amps, in this case is simple SE into one of the two SE inputs of the HPA-1.




Headphones used are Focal Clears. Hedd Headphones, and MEZE Emperyeans. I also used HD600’s.

Other amps I have recently had the pleasure of listening with are a Phonitor XE, Soundaware P1, Schiit Lyr 3, Schiit Asgard 3, Schiit Jotenheim OG and Jotenheim 2, Schiit Magni 3, Schiit Hersey, ECP Audio T4, BH Crack, BH Mainline, Hagerman TUBA, Whammy, yadda, yadda, yadda.

I read all the reviews and listen to what trusted friends say or think about amps and throw all the rest of the BS out the door. The final arbiter is me and my ears. Nothing else matters.

So how can an amp that retails for $3500 not having a balanced inputs or outputs be any good? It it really worth $3500. Being a penny pincher and a DIY guy its a lot of money. Maybe not as much as a stellar mountain bike, but still $3500 is $3500.

The amp weighs 14 pounds. It’s a heavy amp compared to many other headphone amps…it’s about $250 a pound! Billet aluminum. Simple, strong, elegant look and construction! Made in the USA! I like this. A lot.

It has a simple look to it. A “HUGE” volume knob connected to a genuine ALPS pot…buttery smooth and easy to adjust and no slop at all. It calls you to “turn it!”…lol.




There is a micro-controller in the amp, and when you first turn it on the Power light blinks for 20 seconds with that nice muted “Pass Blue” color. Pass recommends having the amp warm up for an hour before serious listening or leave it on all the time 24/7 and its ready when you are.

I took the top cover off by removing 4 allen head “bolts” and took a look inside. Yes there are many professional glamour shots online but having the amp here and being able to see it in person is really awesome for a EE guy…for sure! Great parts, a very well laid out design…the electrical flow is spot on…a robust toroidal transformer (with MU metal and faraday shield), good filtering (that’s BIG caps)…, BIG heatsinks, good soldering, great wire terminations…all those things I like to see in a really high end unit…care in the build, lots of billet aluminum. Seeing the transistors mounted up off the left and right channel signal area PCB is a treat for a guy like me…all lined up perfectly, straight and in line…like they are going on a parade! (Note: I asked Pass if I could open the amp up to look inside without voiding the warranty. The answer to me was “Yes” but unplug it first!”).

Published Specifications: Class A all the way.

Gain (dB) 8 db
Frequency Response 10hz – 100k -1 dB
Output Power into 20 ohms 3500 mW
THD + Noise < 0.005 at 1V out
Out Power into 300 ohms 200 mW
Input Impedance 50K Ohm
Output Impedance < 2 ohms
Power Consumption (Watts) 23
Unit Dimension (W x D x H) (In.) 11 x 13.5 x 4
Unit Weight (LBS) 14

This amp is circa 2016. Except for the older reviews there is not much out there that speaks to this amp in recent times. But if you take the time to go back and read thru them its clear that this amp is indeed special. Pass has an established name in the audio industry, from the First Watt and the F7 has left many audio folks impressed. Yet the amp is not a Nelson Pass or Wayne Colburn design, but the new kid on the block Jam Somasundaram’s. Jam was the director of engineering for Cary Audio. They have known each other for 35 years…so IMO they have had a long time to cross pollinate ideas, theories and technology.


One thing I gleaned in researching this amp is the way PASS designs, builds and tests their stuff. They listen. They listen “often”. They are into discrete Class A products, purely analog. They are not into the “frills” just robust no-frills enclosures with a great sound above all else. Designing, building listening…over and over and over for many months. Measuring at the end. Does the design listened to so often match the numbers at the end? Building something for the sound and voicing etc. and measurements last…I like this.

It’s not a shiny or delicate object. Its built to last. Billet aluminum enclosure, the front plate is 1/2 thick solid aluminum. Does this make it sound any better? No. But it’s really cool. LOL. The unit is in this heavy aluminum “box” bolted together with hex head “bolts”. It’s a classic Pass look. It’s an industrial in your face look that screams “USE ME!”…all the time 24/7. And that’s Pass’s recommendation in the manual… leave on 24/7. Why? Warm up, stability, best performance, ready when you are for the best usage. That said I asked Pass if its ok to turn it off when done listening. The answer was “yes”…it’s more of a convince thing to be ready for listening anytime. Still an hour or so of warm up is recommended before any serious listening.

It’s an “exceptional” solidly built box. Period.

The buttons on the front are three. Clicky. Input 1, Input 2, Preamp. A Power on led or diode is directly above the Input 1 Led. All “Pass” blue.
A 1/4 or 6.3mm Neutrik input jack is to the right of these with the “PASS” logo CNC milled into the front panel. No 4- pin XLR, 3 pin XLR, 3.5mm, Aux etc… nope…just that one solitary 1/4 hole. Must be telling us something? Wonder if we are listening?





Oh, by the way some have stated they don’t like the 1/4 jack…well it’s the same jack you find on Gibson’s Les Paul guitar…and technically there is a reason for this particular jack being used as well. Again, a small point of design that was not overlooked.

The rear is as simple. Less “Pass Glitzy”. ON/ OFF switch in an integrated IEC power assembly with a fuse, which is self-replaceable. One set of RCA outputs for the preamp, and lastly two RCA inputs. No balanced. Simple. The bottom has four aluminum feet with rubber washers. The whole box is anodized.

Why do I take the time to discuss the box? Its build? Because with a Pass HPA-1 you’re not just buying an amplifier, it’s a structure. A very well-built structure that is well above many other boxes out there…and yes you’re paying for this, a lot. You’re paying for a year of design and test. You’re paying for excellence, all over. It’s like a family heirloom. And oh, by the way the best part of this “structure” is inside!! A great home for a great amplifier circuit.

I am a purist. I like simple well-built and well performing stuff, especially in audio. For me this amp was always there on the radar. It fits my audio goals.
Totally analogue, nothing attached to the digital world. (there is a micro-controller but not in the audio chain). The goal was to operate all the time reliably. To sound as good as possible. To basically drive any headphone load across a broad range of loads. Voltage. Current.

It’s the first Pass headphone product. It’s also the lowest cost Pass amp! An added benefit for some is a world class pre-amp, that is not an afterthought or simple tap off etc…I don’t use this part of the unit. Maybe someday.

Ok so attach the power cord. It’s a huge power cable. Gosh really nothing wimpy about this unit. Big and stiff cord. Attach inputs. Turn on. The amp starts in a mute state. Blue power light blinks on and off for approx. 20 seconds. Press one of the INPUT buttons or Pre-amp. Plug in cans, press play, turn that BIG knob…and “Smile”.





So what’s the design all about. Well it’s a fully discrete design. Using discrete transistors, resistors, capacitors etc…look at the pictures. You will see one op-amp in the unit but it’s a DC servo. This is a direct coupled amp. Low feedback. The power transformer is a beast. It took a few tries to get this the way they wanted it to be, low noise, toroidal with care for keeping the AC isolated from the other circuits, with MU metal and a faraday cage. 40,000 uf in filtering caps on to discrete voltage regulators. All on their BIG individual heat sinks. The choice of “type” of components in this amp was very well thought out. To someone that likes circuits and is not just an “appliance” operator this is special and important to me. Toshiba J-Fets in the input stage. This is the “voltage” gain part. Fairchilds Mosfets in the “direct” coupled Class A output stage. This is the “current” drive part. A real ALPS pot. A large pcb with all the stuff soldered well to it. Clean layout. Labeled very well.







Ok let’s talk sound and performance.

One thing I found using this amplifier is that it made every headphone I plugged into it “work” better. It has the uncanny ability to bring out the very best of any transducer you use with it. Its worthy of any TOTL headphone. Many reviewers have used Focal Utopias, LCD4’s, Abyss etc… with spectacular success. With my Focal Clears, Hedds, and Meze Empyreans it was nothing but stellar each and every listening session. The Hedds were the hardest to drive “spec” wise, but the HPA-1 easily drove them very well.

It makes listening a totally new experience. Slam, fast transients…no audible distortion…bass that is excellent, extremely well controlled. It draws one into the performances and nothing is left unheard. Good or bad. There is this sense of personal connection with the music. It’s addictive, and I found myself wanting to just listen and not wanting to stop!

The sound, the ambience in recordings, the reverberations in a concert hall, or recording studio are readily apparent. Excellent resolution, exquisite details. The ability to really hear what the recording was originally all about with good headphones is there in spades. Dead silent background. Thunderous bass, with body and soul. Fat juicy musical notes just jump out at you… often quite shocking how well they are displayed in your “ears” and brain!

Many amps are good, some really good, and others are above and beyond. With the HPA-1 you’re in the above and beyond category all the time. It’s easy to have your expectations dashed with great claims when that new shiny object lets you down. You sell it and move on. The HPA-1 is one of those rare audio devices that really lives up to the hype. And really there wasn’t a lot of hype around it. It was just the first foray into a headphone amp by a company that likes simple clean discrete designs… that often lead to excellence. This amp is excellence.

I got this from Desmond at Pass: “We like simple clean designs and they tend to work better.” Indeed.

There is a fluidity of sound that flows from good recordings…makes you feel like the presentation is above the ordinary… it’s very clean, very accurate, very precise, but so musical…a SS kind of euphony…Sound that comes out from a inky black silent background…just wonderful.

Many reviewers have just simply stated “Spoiler Alert - this is among the best heaphone amps I’ve ever encountered”. And I totally concur. It’s that good.

Even though this amp was not directly designed by Pass himself it meets all the Pass design criteria, build goals, simplicity and this amp did not get out the door without “poppa pass’s” blessing. After all its his name that is machined into that front panel!


Some interesting quotes from the designer Jam Somasundram:
(Note: The following comes from a review and question/answer with Jam at parttimeaudiophile website by John Grandberg).

“The HP-1 was designed more like a small power amplifier than a traditional headphone amplifier. It will drive headphones that have impedance ranging from 15 to 600 ohms (which is a conflicting set of requirements for a good design). To overcome this, we had to use relatively high supply rails as well as a high bias. (Note the rails are 24 volts).

The amplifier uses a complementary topology with a cascoded J-Fet input stage and a Mosfet output stage. The design is fully discreet and uses very small amount of feedback and has a wide bandwidth.

The output stage is biased into Class A for more linear operation and improved distortion characteristics.

The transformer has been custom designed for the HPA-1. It is a toroid that is rated at over three times of what is required for the circuit and has a Faraday shield built in as well as magnetic shielding around the circumference of the unit, to reduce noise. We had to go through several prototypes before we came up with one that met our requirements. Contrary to popular belief, transformers can make a huge difference.

The importance of the power supply cannot be ignored in a good design and to this end, the regulator is composed of discreet components and is a very low noise design with over 40,000 uF of capacitance with local decoupling for each channel.

Switching and mute functions are controlled by a custom programmed micro-controller.

We have left out any unnecessary features that we deemed would compromise the sonic performance of the unit; less can sometimes be more.”

“The unit is designed to stay on at all times. The power switch is located in the rear.

When the power is turned on the unit goes into a mute state for twenty seconds. This is done to allow the circuitry to stabilize. During this period, no functions are available, and the power led will flash. When the unit goes out of mute into operate mode the power led will stop flashing and stay on.

The amp has two inputs that can be selected from the front panel.


The unit also has a pre-amp function, which is selected from the button on the front panel. When the pre-amp function is engaged, the headphone output is disconnected — only one output (either headphone or pre-amp) is available at any one time. This is done as a safety feature.

The unit gets to optimum performance about one hour after turn on. In the event of a power loss, the unit shuts off, and upon restoration of power the unit will go through the mute cycle and return to the state it was in prior to the loss of power. It will remember the last input and function and will return to that setting. This is also true when the unit is switched off with the power switch.

Finally I suggest you try the unit as a pre-amp, we believe it will hold its own against products which cost much more.”

Q: Is there any area about the HPA-1 which you feel could have been improved if cost was no object? It’s already quite expensive as headphone amps go but is there anything that was “held back” for any reason?

A: If cost were no object I suppose we could improve the power supply further, or use a dual mono version, all of which I have tried with minimum improvement. Sometimes added complexity can work against you. If you look at the price/performance curve, I think we are in a pretty good spot.

Q: Similar to question 1, is there any design aspect or parts implementation that would have been used if there wasn’t any regard for realistic manufacturing processes etc? I know the DIY community does some crazy stuff that wouldn’t be tenable for a company to build even in modest numbers.

A: I actually tried some crazy stuff (ideas) in the design but only used them if they worked. Parts were chosen for the best performance, and we found that some audiophile (boutique) rated components actually hurt the sound. We tested the amplifier with a wide variety of headphones to check that we were not missing anything. Also, reliability plays a key role in a product like ours, and you do not want to skirt too close to the edge.

Q: Are there any similarities to any of the existing Pass models? I’m not referring to general similarities like low feedback but rather specifics…. was anything borrowed or inspired heavily from any portion of another Pass product? I guess I’m trying to clarify if this is a complete “ground up” design.

A: The design is quite different from existing Pass models, primarily because of the requirements of a headphone amplifier as I mentioned in my other e-mail. This is a totally ground up design, we might use similar parts but the topology is completely different.


Q: I like your comment on voicing. Can you explain in your words the difference between “design” and “voicing”?

A: I would say design is the basic topology/circuit used in the product that works and meets your basic objectives. Voicing is the tricky part which includes for example your choice of components, amount of feedback, and biasing, among others. In my opinion voicing can make the difference between a good or acceptable product and a great one. On the other hand, voicing is not going to help a bad design.

Q: Also related to the above question: as you know, some of the more objectivist designers’ frown on the term voicing… I suspect you understand their point of view but simply disagree, so where do you think they go wrong?

A: A long time ago I thought that specifications were everything, but quickly learned that there are some things in audio that can’t be easily quantified, or qualified for that matter. Specifications should be used as a guide, and if higher distortion means a better sound then you have to make a choice…. Of course, some sort of balance has to be struck.

For example, if distortion was the main criteria for the quality of an amplifier, no one would own tube amplifiers. Things like Yamaha receivers would rule the day. In my opinion the technical aspect of a design is only part of the equation, and the rest is an art form. I am not stuck in any design camp, which I find can be counterproductive. For example, the no-feedback idea — you have to use elements that work for your design, otherwise you can paint yourself into a corner with the end result being a handicapped product.

We at Pass Labs listen extensively to everything we manufacture and the process is quite lengthy. Our main ideal is that no product should be released before it’s time.”

So for me in conclusion this is the “best” amp I have ever used or heard for that almost perfect goal of a “realistic” audio performance with great headphones. Its indeed a TOTL or End Game amp for many and especially for me.

I bought this amp and have no intentions of selling it!

If you can get ahold of one, give it a try. You might like it. A lot.

Alex

Final Pix:
All the Pass has to offer to date for Headphone addicts…HPA-1 and the Wayne Colburn Whammy!
Made in the USA by Pass and “Me”.



Alex

Hello. I have had the iFi Pro/DSD original version here in house for a few months now and I am pretty happy with its performance. It only took three days In comparing it with other dacs that I had. They were sold after this comparison. Its that good. I did not know the iFi was going to come out with a newer SIGNATURE Pro/DSD dac at the time of my purchase. At present I would not hesitate buying this first version and I do not have any experience with the SIGNATURE version.

The price has gone up and it has the Elite power brick and some techie stuff…”better” quality parts, re-designed or “tweaked” circuit magic according to iFi’s Faqs. The tubes are now better matched ? I honesty do not think these things matter a “lot” side by side….it’s in that subjective / numbers area…where you often have to strain to hear real world differences IMO. Either unit IMO would be just great.



So my experience is totally with the non-SIGNATURE Pro DSD is as follows:

First impressions are long lasting. Well packed. Well built. Solid. Can move around a bit on the desktop. So my options and connections….in the back and in the front….iFi has you covered here in spades! I am a simple user and some of the bell and whistles are meaningless to me. But the ones I do use I really like.

Starting off, I read the entire Owners or User’s manual..yup I did…call me anal….but being and electrical engineering technical type its like mandatory here….LOL. I also found the serial number before it got list in the interconnections and wires!! And I registered it online.

I usually like to keep things simple, least amount of stuff from the original recording so a NOS function is nice to have. All those filters and up sampling are great but I want to hear what its like via NOS. The Pro DSD has this function with its BP or bit perfect mode. Coming from a DS type of dac first and later a several year multibit dac experience I wanted to hear other dacs from different designers to see how they compared.



Also, it would be nice to have other functions to play with to at least try and yes this adds to the cost of this box and others like these functions. But these functions in some dacs it takes a real engineer to figure out how to invoke and use them. iFi has this experience down pat…all the connections and variables are easily accessible and easy to invoke at the twist of a knob, or a gentle press of a knob or flick of a switch. Great end user experience here. Very well thought out. Kudos.

Throw in a Class A line stage that has the ability to use discrete transistors or tubes adds to the variety and different listening experiences available. Tube or Tube + modes…difference in feedback etc. The linestage has varying power outputs depending on which output jack your using. iFi states there is NO headphone amplifier in the Pro/DSD. Its just a gain stage line driver that has enough power to drive many headphones directly…hmm sounds like an amplifier of sorts to me. With my Final Audio D8000 Pros at 60 ohms, HD 650 at 300 ohms and my ADX 5000’s at 420 ohms the linestage drove all three very, very loud….you can debate the quality of this “mini” amp that is rated at 1.4 watts SE and 4 watts
with the pentacom 4.4mm balanced output jack….Seems that 4 watts would do the trick rather well wit most headphones out there….and it does. The later version of the Pro/DSD has the larger 4.4mm balanced jack. Which is very much appreciated.



Back to the Bit Perfect thing. iFI states it is using 4 actual dac chips that are running in parallel in an inter-leaved scheme. The result according to them is the net result is closer to 8 bit via multi-bit. The top 6 – 8 bits are running in multi bit architecture with the option of applying no filters. The lower bits are processed as delta – sigma over sampled in effect DSD 256 (so iFi states). So you have the best of both worlds here…and that later DS can be had with no filters as well. I like this a lot. I might mention Bit perfect is only available at sample rates of 96khz or lower.

The most important attribute for the Pro/DSD is the ease of operation. A simple twist of a knob and your onto the next selection….from BP, BP+, GTO, Apodizing, Transient Aligned….simple, quick, fast. It just works so well.

The same knob that selects the filters when depressed invoke DSD 512, press again DSD 1024, press again and DSD is OFF. Simple and it does make a sonic difference. The master input selection knob pressed allows a polarity shift or changes the brightness of the round display. Hold it for 4 seconds the polarity changes. Press for less and the brightness changes to 4 available settings. Simple. Easy.

One of the gripes with the Pro/DSD is the absence of a 4 pin XLR output jack. Simply “no room” states “iFi”..use the 4.4 pentacom jack they say…ok but I have a ton of balanced cables…ok get and adapter. Done. Its just the way it is….or buy that iCAN Pro amp!! LOL.

It does come with a remote…simple for the OG model. The remote I have with the SIGNATURE iCan Pro amp works with the OG Pro/DSD…..at least for volume +/- the other buttons don’t do anything…but again I don’t use wi-fi etc..

iFI has elected to throw in MQA. I am not a fan on MQA. Don’t use this. Nuff Said. More cost?

One of the most ‘vain” things with the Pro/DSD is that it remembers the last volume setting ok its fun to watch the knob move down and up when powering off and on…a convenience to some, but to me…well.

IFI has included a WI-FI function capability as well…another function that I do not use. I am a dedicated one desktop computer listening station….I don’t need any of this. Maybe for updating firmware someday?

iFi has included the ability of playing tunes from a memory stick or hard drive…nice but again I don’t use this. If I put this dac into my 2 ch setup I might think hard about this potentially very useful function.

On the rear of the unit it looks like almost any connection is there…OMG. XLR and SE outs. USB input, Micro SD Card slot, S/PDIF input, AES/EBU input, BNC clock input!! BNC Clock Output! Wifi antenna connector. Oh did I not mention Ethernet as well! Stream on dude!



There also is a 4-position screwdriver selectable output levels. Very Nice.

So how does it sound?

As I indicated above it took me only three days to sell my gold standard dac for several years. Not that it was not great, its just this implementation to my ears was better than I expected with my “stuff”. I could honestly tell the difference it the dacs I had here in house. An improved clarity would be the thing that really impressed me. So quiet. What was coming in was coming out very. Very naturally. My favorite filter is the NOS but I like the BP+ filter which technically us not 100% nos. No digital filtering is applied but a one tap, SINC roll-off is corrected…whatever that means…For some mystical reason my brain likes this. The second favorite is involving DSD 1024 with the GTO filter. You can hear the difference and with some tunes its indeed very pleasant…. musical. The really neat thing here is YOU can easily try and test what works for you…. SIMPLE. Again, I like that.

I am not going to tout the usual bass is better, mids are whatever, treble is not shouty…I will leave this for those expert reviewers and the charts and graphs. Trusting my ears with my money tells me that the dac in this box is one of the best out there for todays state of technology.

IMO this iFI Pro/DSD unit is very, very well engineered. Works so well. Has so many options. Opens up many choices and combine it with its sibling the iCAN Pro amp your set for a long time of pleasurable audio experiences.

It’s the swiss army knife of audio components….for most the line stage would work well for you and for those that want to drive Susvaras and the like add the iCan Pro or iESL…



The functions that I didn’t use might be very important to you. I would highly recommend you go t the iFi site and read the operators manual for a more detailed explanation of the internals of the device. There are a ton of technical FAQ’s there

How much better is the newer version of the Pro/DSD dac…iFI published a small document on their site where one of their techs came up with a 20% number of betterment…well that is subjective for sure…but there are several improvements in the newer unit….but these may or not be discernable to you in a real honest AB test.

The last question always ask myself is: Would you buy this again…

Answer: Absolutely YES!

Enjoy the Music!

Alex

I have been doing this headphone stuff for the past 10+ years fairly seriously. I am no youngster anymore and my hearing isn’t what it used to be but still for my age it’s pretty decent...up t 15khz still. I love music and hearing it reproduced well.... I want to listen with transducers and gear that makes me smile and often gives me the illusion of being there.

Gear that allows me to look into a recording and tell how well it was recorded, how well the musicians performed. Being able to hear the room, auditorium or open-air venue....

Being a purist, I have always wanted the least amount of stuff in the reproduction chain and coming from the analog vinyl world, to the cassette, then cd and now digital ripping and streaming world. In each transition there was a trust factor to be overcome.... what was good, what was bad, and was this a step up in the quest for the "perfect" hi-f sound. Speakers or headphones.

In the last 10 years headphones and ancillary equipment have come a long way. But I always wanted the least amount of stuff, connections and cables.... When the FLAC lossless format arrived on the scene I took the digital plunge and ripped all my CD's...spending hours getting the settings correct to have "perfect" rips....

Now I sit here with this iFi "stuff". Very complex, many choices far from simple. But its time.




The iFi Pro DSD was obtained a few months ago before the Signature was announced and it really opened my "ears" to how well a good dac design could go in marching towards audio perfection. I sold my gold standard dac due to the arrival of the Pro DSD. Done. The Pro DSD is a perfect match for its sibling amp…a nice balanced connection and we are done looking for a better dac.

The I was tempted to try the iCan Pro, but could not find one new at a decent price and the rumor mill was telling me to wait something was coming...and here it is the iFi Pro Signature series. So, the new iCAN Pro amp has been here for a week now. Having reviewed and owned 30 + amps in the past few years it didn’t take long to figure out this is a marvelous little amp.

I used to do the traditional "review" specs, feeds and speeds but now look at these devices in a more subjective light....and think of these more as an "experience" than a review.

So here is my “experience” with the iFi ICan Pro Signature amp....




First getting the thing out of the box was a chore! it’s a double boxed deal with the amp in one enclosure and the nice little iFi Elite power supply in another with both being wrapped in an overall wrapper. Then taking them out and unboxing took some time...seeing the little smiling "thank you" symbol was nice...."your welcome".... iFi.

Once out I took the time to read the manual, yes, I am experienced enough to cable up and power on...but this new toy has lots of selections and it’s good to take the time to read the manual....

In the package is a new remote with NO battery.... IMO Hey iFi for the cost throw in a battery please...I don’t care about any excuse about a battery being dangerous or getting old in the package...these things sell like hot cakes so please throw in a 3-volt battery!

The new remote works with this older PRO DSD dac for volume. I don’t use the PRO DSD for streaming so the other buttons do not work for me. They might with the phone app? iFi can chime in here. But the volume for both the older unit and the new amp work ok, this is good enough for me. Also, the older remote works with the new amp for volume as well.

Its in good company!



The size of the new amp is pretty much the same size of the older stuff. Same aesthetics, same wavy enclosure, same style knobs and switches. Same vacuum tube lights or leds. The signature has this "gold" signature metal nameplate in the lower middle front and the selection and volume knobs have a gold circular surround...some don’t like this but it’s not gaudy at all when you have it in front of you.... Actually, now that I have it here in front of me it’s a really nice touch. One negative thing for my vanity is the brushed front plate is much "shinier" than the older Pro units. Same type of thing some us Schiit amp owners used to complain about. iFi should have done a better job here IMO. Again, a nit.

Several words describe the new amp: Versatility, Performance, Flexible, High-Tech, Powerful, Clean, Neutral, Transparent, and Expensive. Yes expensive.

I could have easily forgone the cost of many amps etc. and just gone out and bought this type of amp. But I would not have the experience in actually telling how well amps across the board worked with my musical tastes and headphones etc....a long journey but I would do it all over again.

Let’s talk versatility/flexibility. Inputs: Balanced via 3 pin xlr, (3) RCA unbalanced inputs (three different dacs coming in potentially!). Outputs: Balanced line out via 3 pin xlr, RCA unbalanced out, DC loop out. On the front you have the iFi LOGO that changes color and on and blinking for the various modes. A large input selector knob, good feel to it. A Xbass Correction system selector with three selections and OFF. Several headphone output sockets.... Balanced 4 pin, the older left/right 3 pin xlr and SE via these as well for the 1/4 " phone plugs. 4.4 mm pentacom and a smaller 3. 5mm.....you got connectivity in spades!

Let’s talk performance/ power: SN >147 dB (A) balanced and SN >137 dB (A), THD pretty much down in the three digits down area...i.e. .0025% (example).... way down in the mud...the SE THD spec for TUBE + mode is the least at <= 0.07%...for a tube amp...well. Power: MORE THAN ENOUGH! 14 watts/4.8 watts Balanced vs SE. at 16 ohms. At no times with my Final Audio D8000 Pros and Sennheiser HD 650's could I even come close to using the power this amp can produce.... not even close. Warnings in the manual tell you to be careful especially using the Xbass correction system.... You can fry stuff if your not careful. I would hope folks spending this kind of money on "pro" stuff would be well aware of these things!! Read the manual please!

Let’s talk High-Tech. Well there is a lot here to talk about.... first this fancy Xbass Correction thing. iFi states it’s an analog signal processing thing 'ASP" vs a digital signal processing "DSP" thing. Tailored to correct the bass deficiency in a headphone or speaker and help achieve the desired level. Not the traditional bass boost thing we are used to. There is a 10hz, 20 hz and 40 hz selection and OFF. The maximum boost is 12db. Its described in the manual. For me with good recording and good headphones it’s not necessary. But I did play with it with my HD 650's with the 10 Hz setting and it did add a very nice increase in the low end and made the HD 650's have a really nice low-end response. Subtle but noticeable and there.... The 10, 20 and 40 hz correspond to headphones or speakers missing bass below 40hz, 80 hz and 160 hz...so depending on your headphones and what’s in the recording the settings you can play with and see if it helps or not.... When used it doesn’t seem to affect the overall sound quality...not like some more "gimmicky" bass boost circuits.

More Tech: A solid state J-Fet fully discrete Class A amp, a tube amp with 2 NOS GE 5670s that are well matched with the J-Fets circuitry switched out and the amp is a Class A valve amp, and add to this a Tube + mode where the negative feedback is reduced and the even harmonics are allowed to shine giving you that nice "tubey" sound....

More Tech: 3D Holographic Circuitry with three choices: 30 Degree, 60 deg and 90 deg selections. 30 degree is supposed to simulate a narrow loudspeaker placement like your computer speakers, the 60-degree selection is supposed to simulate the traditional textbook speaker placement (the old equilateral triangle setup) and the 90 deg selection is supposed to simulate a wide speaker placement which many 2 ch audiophiles like for a wide soundstage. iFi states this is not a typical cross feed arrangement implemented via a DSP but theirs emulates a speaker sound field without excessive reverb. IMO it does work...how well ...YMMV. For me several LIVE recordings made significant differences in the presentation....I was wowed with Live Dire Straits and some early Eagles Live at the LA Forum recording....was a very good experience here....for other recordings it wasn’t a vast improvement or difference.....the neat thing here is you can almost instantly try any of these setting and see for yourself.....it’s actually kind of fun being able to do this, even for a purist! LOL. I listened to the Byrd’s Greatest Hits from the 60's with the 90 deg selection and it was quite enjoyable and fun! I could turn this on and not tell you and you could not tell until you switched it off....it can be really good for some older tunes. The circuit is smart enough to detect using headphones or speakers and internally adjusting for the differences in transducers. Amazing stuff.

More Tech: It comes with an external iFi Elite Power Brick....Not going to go into this but the claim is better cleaner, less noisy power.... read more on iFi’ s site. A really nice professional looking, heavy and solidly built wall-wart of sorts.

So how does it sound, or really IMO and amplifier should NOT sound, it should be the old "straight wire with gain" device. But like all things the subjective side creeps in and our brains tell us they do sound abit different from each other.... your brain will have to tell you how much if any and is this real or not. I am down to 6 major amps in house and they do indeed have differing flavors. From neutral and transparent to slightly warmer and less transparent, more musical. Depending on my mood and music I often select one of these amps and change out to experience these often hard to detect differences. I believe the iFi amp is a direct coupled amp, no caps in the output to affect the tonality. It’s really a very clean, neutral amp, just ever so slightly warm.... using the tube mode. The SS amp is very clean, open and transparent...pretty close to being a perfect amp. Seriously. I could easily be happy with this amp. Easily.

The amount of raw power available allows for tremendous fast transients to shock you at times. With the Final Audio D8000 Pros I am often taken aback at the powerful, accurate sound that comes across using this amp. It also makes the lower cost HD 650 absolutely sparkle, with bass that I never thought these Sennheiser’s could produce. I only use the low gain setting to date, I did try the middle gain but way too much for 60-ohm cans and even for 300-ohm cans for me......I like loud but I like my hearing to be intact for a few more years as well!! Warning to youngsters DONT play music LOUD for LONG periods of TIME!! :>)

When using the SE output vs, the Balanced I do not hear a real discernable difference in sound quality overall. The only difference I hear is in the higher amplitude that using the balanced output provides vs the SE output at the same volume setting. This may be a good thing depending on the sensitivity of your cans, using a lower power output to get the volume control more in the “sweet” spot.

Having a Pro DSD and iCAN Pro amp, the (2) units add a “ton” of versatility and allow you to try many different settings and this can open your “ears” to music in different ways….really fun to explore the many setting these two can provide.

The highest positive comment I could give an amp is that it allows what’s coming in to be exactly what comes out of the amp...allowing me to hear what the source sounds like both the music and in the digital world the "dac". This amp will allow you to hear it all if you have a headphone that has very good resolving attributes. The icing on the cake here with the iFi ICAN Pro Signature amp it does what I just described but adds a few things that do affect the sound, spatially with the 3D magic circuitry and helping deficient transducers on the low end without messing up the overall tonality of the music.

Are there other amps that are good? Yes. Some cost less some even cost more. But at this price point the iFi new Signature amp is a winner and should last you a lifetime. The tubes in the box are said to be rejuvenated and should last for a long, long time...well I grew up with tubes and they don’t last forever so we shall see on this point.

The only other kind of negative thing is for a unit at this price level a 12-month warranty is a bit "skimpy" to me...with folks like Schiit giving a 5yr warranty on their mid and high-end stuff I think iFi should step up to the plate and offer a better warranty. What say you iFi???

The final question is often "Would you buy this again"...the answer in this short time is "Yes".

Burson Audio FUN



Well I have received from Burson Audio a new headphone amp to me. In the past I have reviewed Burson's Audio Cable + and Pro, and have always liked the Burson products. They seem to build some really well liked and well built headphone amplifiers. For people that like to play and experiment with various op amps to see if there are any differences etc, the FUN amp I just received is the “cats meow” for this type of activity!



Imagine a company that is enticing you to open up the device and plug and play to your hearts content and your wallet can stand!. The circuitry is designed to handle a wide variety of op amps, from inexpensive to expensive... They even supply you with an allen wrench and a spare power fuse!.

All it takes is 4 small hex head screws to pop off the cover and see the internals! The build quality inside the unit is second to none. I have built and worked in the electronics industry and this is a top of the line amp. The circuit board is well laid out, and there is no BIG unsightly power transformer inside that will ever “hum” or have isolation issues.



The FUN is a class A headphone amplifier that again encourages Opamp rolling. There is also an added mic input on the front. The Mic input is straight wired to a Mic output in the back for less cable clutter if used in a desktop pc system. For me I use this amp as a headphone amplifier....there is no DAC inside. But the FUN can fit into a PC drive bay and connect to your PC sound card and headphones. For gaming and great audio as well.



Instead of the traditional AC power into a transformer then into a bridge rectifier and filtering to remove the AC component etc...Burson designed what they call Burson Max Current Power Supply or (MCPS). The transformer is removed altogether. Burson states that main power at 50-60Hz is within the frequency the human ear can easily discern. A traditional linear power supply charges and discharges 50-60 times a second. They claim this is too slow for audio amplification. Their MCPS increases the working frequency to 179Khz. Any noise at this frequency is well above the human hearing threshold of 20khz. They say this allows for a pitch black soundstage critical for micro-details to shine through. Now this is techno talk from Burson, and I am a real technical geek that always has doubted many if these claims, the end result to me is the proof in the pudding. I will tell you in this review whatever they are doing here has led to a really GOOD amp. Call it what you want, this $299 Class A gem, is very crisp and clean.....pitch black for sure.



So there is no need for those LARGE capacitors for AC filtering and hum reduction. This amp puts out 2 watts of power into 32 ohms. A day when size natters, or bigger is better, this little amp throws all that away for sure. So its a 4x Max Current Power Supply, symmetrical dual mono design, Class A, Two DIP8 sockets for op amp rolling, ELNA audio aluminum electrolytics, and Vishay Professional MELF resistors ( with a 1% tolerance and a +/- 50ppm/K). Then volume pot is an ALPS pot with excellent tracking, All this with a 5 yr worldwide warranty.



The unit is the same size as a CD/DVD PC Drive that fits into a 5.25” PC drive bay. Its power can come from a 12VDC 5A source from your PC via a Molex connector. If you want to use it as a standlone unit they supply a small external power supply that has a green power led. The backside has two sets of RCA plugs, input and output, this unit can be used as a preamp as well, the preamp output impedance is 25 ohms, and the head amp output impedance is 6 ohms. They supply you with a nice set of RCA cables as well and 6.5mm to 3.5mm socket adapter. Inputs require 2V RMS line level, mic input. The unit weighs approx 2kg.





Class A amps run HOT. I have run this FUN amp for hours with 600 ohm Beyerdynamics T1 R2 and the case is slightly warm, there are 4 power transistors for each channel mounted to the bottom chassis assembly. Nothing like some other Class A amps I have built and owned. Not even close to hot to touch. Great design here.



The front of the FUN has a nice small bue LED to indicate power on. Its subtle and does not blind you.

The aluminum case is a matte black finish and it exudes 'professional” to me....very well done, like the SR 71 blackbird finish at the Smithsonian at Dulles Airport! There are four small plastic feet on the bottom.



The volume knob is large and fairly easy to turn the ALPS pot...nice and firm feel when rotating it...again exudes good parts and good operation.



The unit at the entry price of $299 comes with a pair of NE5543 X 2 op amps. My unit had JRC 5534D's which are in the $10-$15 cost retail. They are a high performance low noise op amp well beyond the old 741's. The amp with my headphones was silent with the volume turned up all the way. With 32 ohms cans I did hear some very slight noise with the volume up at 3pm, way, way beyond any listening. Most listening with 250 ohms or higher are dead silent.



So how does it sound...I used headphones from 32 ohms to 600 ohms and all were easily driven. All sound great. I have only 7 headphone amps at present, been selling! The Burson FUN sounds as good and “better” than most of them, its that good. Beyer 1350's, T1's, Audio Technica M50x's, Grado 325i's,

Beyer T90's, Audio Technica MSR7's....and others. All sound great, of course I have a preference....



The first word, adjective that comes to mind is “clear”, then “transparent”, then “soundstage”, followed by “accurate”, “lifelike”...and all those lesser adjectives...then I kept thinking “how are they doing this?” Its that good / different..the old “I have to listen to all my music again stuff...” The bass extension on headphones like the Audio Technica MSR7's is really mind blowing! The bass is indeed tight and well controlled with all my headphones.



The FUN has no internal DAC, so I am feeding it with a Schitt Bifrost Multibit DAC which I like very much as well....its a wonderful pairing that is making this amp come alive for sure, but there is magic in this little FUN Burson amp!



I could go over many of the songs I use to audition headphones and head devices but suffice to say I and hearing new stuff from my old favorites in a very enlightening way. Its like I am there. The tonality of violin strings are lifelike and mesmerizing. The music is effortless, the amp is supplying enough power throughout the frequency range...clear crisp, dynamic, tight......etc.



Everything from the remastered Beatles, A Hard Days Night, Eva Cassidy's , Eva by Heart, and on and on are being amplified very well. Whats there in the CD is being heard accurately and musically with my T1's....oh gosh its that nice.



Ok the surpy stuff is over....:>) I have not used the mic input or the preamp outs. So I cant comment on them. As a headphone amp, Class A, its the cats meow IMO.



I have been listening for three hours now and just dont want to stop listening its that nice....There are a lot of choices in this price range $299. But if your looking for a great Class A amp, that allows you to swap out and roll to your hearts content op amps, like NOS tubes...the Burson FUN should be high on your list. I look forward to rolling in some of Bursons other discrete op amps as well...Its just FUN!



HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

*****

Alex Dydula



NOTE: I got up this morning, cup of coffee in hand, to see if the Burson Fun was still working as well as my first impression...Instant on and instantly the smile appeared on my face...Burson has a winner here!

I have a bottlehead Crack with Speedball for a few years and has been my go to amp for my Beyer T90 and T1's 2nd Gen.
After several DIY builds, I was curious how Schitt's Vahalla 2 would work with my T1's. Most amps nowadays seems to be looking at
megawatts for the lower impedance heaphones and earbuds...most likely for portable devices etc....but I wanted an amp that would
drive the heck out of 300 and 600 ohm headphones.

The Vahalla 2 specs 800 mw RMS at 300 ohms and 450 mw at 600 ohms. This peaked my interest fore sure. I owned a Schiit Lyr and Asgard as
well along with 8 other head amps mostly DIY stuff. For $350 the Vahalla 2 seemed worth the try. I really like Jason's quick wit, comments and there made in the USA philosophy!

When I got the amp, its was very well packaged and all you have to do is to carefully plug in the 4 tubes, connect up, power on and listen!

Only a on/off switch and a high/low gain switch on the back along with the power plug, along with RCA inputs and RCA preamp outputs. Simple.

A large robust, freely moving volume knob on the front, 1/4" headphone jack and a small on LED. The LED stays on for several minutes after shutdown. No big deal but some
have wondered if this was an issue, its not....just takes some time to bleed down and go off.

If you want the smaller input tubes can be rolled to your hearts and wallets desire. The stock NOS tubes that came with my Vahalla 2 are wonderful, I see no real need to
change them out and I did order a second set for $40....imagine a NOS tube for $10 apiece, its good that Schitt isnt ripping us off for tubes.....

Ok so how does it sound or not sound? First impressions are lasting ones, and the new toy syndrome can subjectively taint your viewpoint and feelings towards new audio toys..
I mean shouldnt new stuff just be better because they are new and maybe cost more? Ha! I have found out the cost more is not always "is better". With the Vahalla 2 I found that it
is indeed a wonderful amp for my T1, 600 ohm and even some lower impedance cans. (actually a BIG surprise).

It sounds different than the Bottlehead Crack in that the presentation seems more like your in the front row vs back in row 5-10. Depending on the music and how the material was recorded and mastered both of these amps do very nicely. My preference is the Vahalla2 just because it seems to effortlessly light up these higher impedance headphones.

I have found myself several times just getting lost in a holographic sound presentation that so many of us buy all kinds of stuff to get! The Vahalla 2 and the Beyers are one of the best
pairings I have heard. Very clear and open for a tube amp, you can hear all those things you never heard before and I often take off the headphones thinking someone
is at the front door or my wife is calling out to me!! LOL.

The bass, mids, low end are all there in spades, well done, well controlled....good stuff sounds really good, crap and trebly compressed crap sounds like compressed trebly crap! LOL.

It has no issue playing the low end stuff like the heartbeat beat thump from Pink Floyd, the old stuff from The Doors...the re-mastered 40yr anniv stuff is fabulous, drum whacks that will pop your head off!
Rather than get all flowery, no that the amp and Beyer Cans will really make you smile and in a lot of cases you need to look no more, or spend more to get absolutely fabulous music recreation.

The amp gets hot, but its got 4 tubes in it, close together but according to Schiit its not an issue and the tubes are rated for 3000+ hours or 200 days on all the time and again a new set will
set you back a whooping $40! A deal.

Oh the big surprise was my 80 ohm Beyer DT1350's....those small portable closed headphones that Tyl at Innerfidelity opined about so much...well they are small and the soundstage compared to their bigger brothers is just "small". I plugged these into the Vahalla2 and switched to low gain and played some stuff and I was SHOCKED....I had to check to make sure I didnt have the T90 or T1's on! It was like the small DT1350's disappeared on my head and the soundstage popped out much wider than with other amps. I was listening to Cowboy Junkies Original Trinity Series in the church with that really low end beat and the reverb in the church is so well recorded a Classic recording for sure. The 1350s just grow up on this amp...I have no idea why, but whatever Schitt did to make lower impedance cans play like these Tesla DT1350's is magin to me indeed.....The 1350's have sat on my desk for months unused!!! Not anymore...

So all in all the new Schitt Vahalla2 is a superb tube amp that makes high impedance headphones "light up" very, very well....and to my surprise those 80 ohm cans work so well with it as well!

If your looking for a tube amp and dont want to solder, cut wire, or do DIY this is a very good alternative for you. Considering the cost, the wider range of impedances than most OTL amps can handle well the Vahalla 2 is a no-brainer.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

All the best
Alex

UPDATE: Here it is over a year since I wrote my review and I still have the Vahalla 2, same tubes...and after building and buying several other head amps the V2 is still right up there as a very, very good amp. Listening with a set of Beyer T1's 2 Rev, on high gain and the sound is musical and lucious, wide open, spacious and just very nice...other amps are just so analytical and dry in comparison and these Class A amps are good in their own right but the V2 with its "sound" signature is just right for me!

I can not believe these headphones are rated at #64 in this category.
 
I have had many headphones in the last few years and sold most of them once I discovered these Beyer T90's.
 
No headphones are perfect and a lot of them are far from even being close.
 
I am not going to be-little other cans here but the T90s deserve a listen to and compare for yourself how great they are compared to your other cans.
 
Using cuts from Brian Broombergs "Wood" cd allows you to see how well and accurate bass from a musical instrument really can sound in a set of headphones.
 
The bass is as good as my LCD2's IMO.
 
The human voice both male and female are re-produced wonderfully, from Linda Rondstadt to John Hiatt.....
 
The T90s are a very accurate but very musical set of headphones, very immersive and amazing uncanny ability to reproduce what the recording engineer was trying
to capture when mastering.
 
They are quick and snappy when the source material demands it.
 
Guitar plucks are reproduced with depth and wonderful tonality, Preston Reeds, Instrument Landing, "Bye Bye Boo Boo" is reproduced with magnificent sound.
 
If the source material is well mastered and recorded the T90's will allow you to experience all of it wonderfully.
 
Some say there is sibilance etc on the high end.....but listen to a live band or concert and listen to how sharp and brittle some instruments sound when they are whacked unmercifully...or breaking glass.
 
The T90s reproduce these sound very accurately...if the high end is "hot" you will hear 'hot"....
 
These cans are very comfortable and fit my normal sized head well. The only minor hit to me is the adjustment sometimes moves a little bit when putting them on or off.
You get a clicking sound from time to time in this on/off removal, dependent on how you hold them etc..really a nit to me.
 
Searching for a really great transparent set of headphones in a $500-$600 range to rival the $1K range, I find the Beyer T90's fit that bill very nicely.
 
Highly Recommened
 
Alex