[Soundsgoodtome]

Good think I went with the Vali instead of the V3 or ocean.

 

[Stillhart]

I've been thinking about the Vali.  But I am also considering stretching my budget to pick up the Matrix M-Stage in the classifieds.  I understand that it's an amp that performs like one that costs several times as much.  For under $200, seems like it's worth the jump from the Vali.
 
Can anyone speak to how well it pairs with the Q?

 

[tdockweiler]

Good think I went with the Vali instead of the V3 or ocean.

 
I have the Bravo V2 but it seems to either just be a bad match for the Q701 or just not having enough power. Sounds amazing with the HD-650 though but I have a better tube in it.
I really would like to try other CHEAP hybrid tube amps because this V2 is really neutral with the HD-650 and sounds great for the price.
 
I remember when I did an A/B with my Q701 of the Vali and Micro Amp I could barely hear any difference. I guess the Vali is that good with the Q701.  The Vali to me with the Q701 (ONLY) sounded very transparent. This makes sense. Transparent, but yet not cold/thin/analytical. This is impressive considering the Micro cost me $330 new once and the upgraded power supply is $65-$100.
 

  I've been thinking about the Vali.  But I am also considering stretching my budget to pick up the Matrix M-Stage in the classifieds.  I understand that it's an amp that performs like one that costs several times as much.  For under $200, seems like it's worth the jump from the Vali.
 
Can anyone speak to how well it pairs with the Q?

 
The Vali is nice as long as you get one that rings less and it's a good match for all your headphones. For me it only sounded good for 1/5 of my headphones. How lame. Schiit seems to not be able to make amps that are a good "all rounder" (like the Ifi Ican).
 
So far I've not heard one negative of the Matrix M-Stage. Ever since I had my first K702 it was the first amp that everyone suggested for the AKGs. I imagine the Fiio E9, Micro Amp and M-Stage all have a similar sound. They do have the same stock op-amps (not that this means much). I bet the E9 probably sounds like a crappy version of the M-Stage (or not).
 
I'm told the M-Stage is even better than the iFI iCAN, so that makes me a bit interested in it...
 
I've been trying to find a $100 "giant killer" amp for the Q701, but no such luck at all. I'd gladly buy the iCAN if it was $200.

 

[Soundsgoodtome]

I feel like I'm steering way off course here but since it pairs well with the Qs... what's with all the different versions of the M-Stage? There's an earlier version, a newer version, a sub-par dac option... and what seems like 2 different main outlets for them?

 

[Za Warudo]

Ok, my Q701 sounds amazing with the D100.  The sub-bass is even better than on my DACport.
 
Much detail
 
Very Soundstage
 
Nice neutrality
 
Wow

 

[Soundsgoodtome]

The treble can get a little hot with poor recordings but you pretty much nailed it. I feel like traits of the D100 that makes it great are excellent treble extension, great mids (leans forward a bit on mid- highs), and a well separated bass by sub-bass emphasis.

My D100 is at work and my Qs are at home, I've only been able to listen to it briefly before and after hours.

 

[jasonb]

 
I have also not noticed any less soundstage width, but more depth.
 
I wonder what changes in frequencies causes the brain to hear more soundstage depth? I don't know this, but maybe someone who runs a recording studio would know!
Obviously it's only when it's IN the recording, like where the singer is on a stage and spaced back a lot.
 

I know that when EQing speakers a nice narrow cut at 5K will make the soundstage seem deeper or farther away. I don't know if this applies to headphones though.

 

[jasonb]

   
Quote:

  Ok, my Q701 sounds amazing with the D100.  The sub-bass is even better than on my DACport.
 
Much detail
 
Very Soundstage
 
Nice neutrality
 
Wow

I see what you did there.
 
 

 

[ThurstonX]

 
The Vali is nice as long as you get one that rings less and it's a good match for all your headphones. For me it only sounded good for 1/5 of my headphones. How lame. Schiit seems to not be able to make amps that are a good "all rounder" (like the Ifi Ican).
 

 
Oh, I don't know.  My Lyr drives all my cans very well (and the HD-650s, though it couldn't solve the comfort problem), and would probably drive the HiFiMAN HE-6s well enough (so plenty of reviewers and users have reported).  You don't need 10 pairs of tubes (unless you like to collect shiny pretty things... 

  

 ), just two or three to switch between cans, if that matters to you.  I've heard the Asgard 2 is an excellent SS amp with plenty of heardroom.  DAC pairing also makes a difference.  While my li'l HiFimeDIY Sabre U2 is an excellent DAC for the money, I hear a positive difference with the Bifrost Uber.
 
Just my $0.02.  I'm not affiliated with Schiit, but I hardly think they can be considered "lame."  Read what the Vali is all about: a cheap way to try the tube sound.  If it's not for you, it's not for you, but to even consider it in a statement about an "all rounder" is a bit ridiculous.

 

[Za Warudo]

With the D100 I feel the Q701 has enough bass impact and extension to handle any genre of music, even electronic music like Massive Attack.  I doubt I would be looking for an open HP upgrade anytime soon.

 

[Soundsgoodtome]

I might be willing to part with my D100 if anyone is interested. The office setup needs to be slightly downsized.

 

[tdockweiler]

   
Oh, I don't know.  My Lyr drives all my cans very well (and the HD-650s, though it couldn't solve the comfort problem), and would probably drive the HiFiMAN HE-6s well enough (so plenty of reviewers and users have reported).  You don't need 10 pairs of tubes (unless you like to collect shiny pretty things... 

  

 ), just two or three to switch between cans, if that matters to you.  I've heard the Asgard 2 is an excellent SS amp with plenty of heardroom.  DAC pairing also makes a difference.  While my li'l HiFimeDIY Sabre U2 is an excellent DAC for the money, I hear a positive difference with the Bifrost Uber.
 
Just my $0.02.  I'm not affiliated with Schiit, but I hardly think they can be considered "lame."  Read what the Vali is all about: a cheap way to try the tube sound.  If it's not for you, it's not for you, but to even consider it in a statement about an "all rounder" is a bit ridiculous.

 
Haha, I wasn't saying Schiit as a company was lame. Just that I totally expected the Vali would be decent enough to work well with more than 1 of my headphones. "Lame" would be my reaction to not having it sound even decent with my DJ100 and HD-650. No amp is worth owning if it only works well with only a couple of my headphones. It's not about sound signature preferences.
 
I would never expect the Vali to be a good "all rounder" amp, but why can't it be? I don't mean with IEMs. To me, a good amp should sound OK with most headphones as long as it has enough power.
 
I don't even think the Vali has a "tube sound". It sounded not much different than my solid state amps with the Q701. Same with my Bravo V2. I guess it's because the Vali is a hybrid tube amp.
 
I've owned 4 Schiit amps and most of them were average. It sounds like if I wanted to hear their best amp I'd have to go with the Lyr or Valhalla.
 
The Magni is one of their best budget amps and the best "all rounder" from them i've heard but not quite there. It's a bit cold/thin/lean, but nothing horrible.
 
Schiit should try to make an amp that sounds equally good with hundreds of headphones. Of course that would probably put them out of business

 
I guess only 10% of the amps out there can do this. O2 not included.
 
I really do wonder what Schiit amp seems to sound best with the Q701. I know the specs would make you think otherwise, but I was thinking maybe the Valhalla! I know it's better for high impedance headphones.
My first amp for the original K702 was the Asgard1 and never liked that much.

 

[Chris J]

I've been thinking about the Vali.  But I am also considering stretching my budget to pick up the Matrix M-Stage in the classifieds.  I understand that it's an amp that performs like one that costs several times as much.  For under $200, seems like it's worth the jump from the Vali.

Can anyone speak to how well it pairs with the Q?

The Q and the Matrix M Stage = a great pairing.
The FiiO E09K also works very well, it the Matrix is definitely a better amp.
It is a warmer and cleaner and clearer and more open sounding amp than the E09K.
But the FiiO E09K ain't bad, either! Especially for the money.

 

[CloudMoose]

Just recently picked up a Maverick audio A1 (w/Matched Raytheon NOS tubes) to drive some new monitors.
 
I honestly didn't think the headphone out would bring anything more to the table than what I was getting with the headphone out on my Matrix Mini-I (Which I still consider fantastic) but boy was I wrong.
 
Even with only about 40 hours on it with the Qs I can't stop listening. 
Soundstage really opened up, vocals are stunning, I know it's all buzzwords but everything just sounds so effortless

.
 
The only thing seeming to hold it back right now is my interconnects(Ratshack Specials right now) but a new set should be here in a few days.
 
Also have an Aune T1 coming in a couple weeks. Not sure if it will replace the Mini-I as my main DAC but I'm interested to see how a single ended tube DAC will compare to the balanced DAC in the Mini-I.

 

[Soundsgoodtome]

  Just recently picked up a Maverick audio A1 (w/Matched Raytheon NOS tubes) to drive some new monitors.
 
I honestly didn't think the headphone out would bring anything more to the table than what I was getting with the headphone out on my Matrix Mini-I (Which I still consider fantastic) but boy was I wrong.
 
Even with only about 40 hours on it with the Qs I can't stop listening. 
Soundstage really opened up, vocals are stunning, I know it's all buzzwords but everything just sounds so effortless

.
 
The only thing seeming to hold it back right now is my interconnects(Ratshack Specials right now) but a new set should be here in a few days.
 
Also have an Aune T1 coming in a couple weeks. Not sure if it will replace the Mini-I as my main DAC but I'm interested to see how a single ended tube DAC will compare to the balanced DAC in the Mini-I.

Interesting, I had the Mini-I before but sold it off before I got the Mav Tubemagic A1. I've tried it with Mullard tubes but it sounded too muddy with the Qs, maybe not enough power getting to the tubes. The Telefunken tubes in there now sounded great as far as SQ but the soundstage was too wide. Yes, it can get too wide folks... it almost felt like two separate hemispheres of sound. I am pairing the A1 with the Yulong D100 so your experience might be slightly different. The Mini-I is warm in nature so I can only imagine that and a tube does great things for the Q. Believe it or not though, in comparison to the Mullard and Telefunken, the Raytheon tubes are bright sounding.

BTW, the Mini-I is only balanced if you're running via XLR outs. The RCA outs are not balanced. I might go back to the Raytheon tubes and try the Q701s again.