Official Schiit Vali 2 Thread

[GoodGucciGoo]

  If we're talking about where the hole on the volume knob is, mine goes from 1 o'clock to 11 o'clock. 

yeah is it normal?

 

[vcmusik]

 
yeah is it normal?

I'm not sure, as I have no other Vali 2s to compare it to, but I myself don't see it as a problem that it doesn't turn past 11. At about 9 o'clock it gets into hurting-my-ears territory so I would venture to guess that it's somewhat normal.

 

[nwavesailor]

Beginning (0) at 7 ending at 5 (max) is where mine is.
 
You can always loosen the hex fastener and have the beginning and ending point aim where you want!

 

[GoodGucciGoo]

Beginning (0) at 7 ending at 5 (max) is where mine is.

You can always loosen the hex fastener and have the beginning and ending point aim where you want!

cool that will fix my problem!
Btw how does Vali2 go with HD600?

 

[Karias]

Btw how does Vali2 go with HD600?

^ I second that too. Really would love to know how the HD600 sounds with the Vali 2 

 

[RickB]

^ I second that too. Really would love to know how the HD600 sounds with the Vali 2 :blink:

The HD600 sounds fantastic with the Vali 2, never heard it sound better. However, let me point out that I've only heard mid-fi equipment up til now.

 

[Trojita]

My Vali 2 came today. Box and layout was simple but nice. Like how they secured the amp in there. I was worried about breaking something when putting the tube in lol.
 
Unfortunately I can't get my Creative X-FI Titanium HD to work. I bought the RCA cables, set everything up, but no sound. I was pretty sure it supported RCA out (the interchange terms between coaxial and S/Pdif confuse me), but now I'm thinking either the drivers are messed up even after I've tried everything to fix it or it doesn't support this anyways (which is weird and sucky but I guess maybe not surprising?). I've never seen claims that it couldn't do this output until when searching for a fix to my problem I found this mention 
 
http://www.guru3d.com/articles-pages/sound-blaster-x-fi-titanium-hd-review,3.html
 
 

 
 

From left to right we have Microphone input (mini-jack), Headphones (mini-jack), Left and right line outputs (white/red) and line I/O - S/pdif I/O combo jacks.

Note: The last set of RCA jacks can function as normal line level input or can be switched to S/Pdif digital operation. White is optical input and Red is optical output.  This card does not offer coaxial S/Pdif output only optical connection.  The bundle does include two mini toslink to toslink cables which help for connections.  We also have to clarify that although this card has a headphone output, this design does not have a headphones amplifier.

 
I don't know if this is verified true, but it isn't looking good. The sound card has a decent built in DAC and I wanted to be able to use the CMSS-3D. Damn, I didn't want to spend anymore money 

 
I guess if it literally can't work I have three options, either buy a sound card that supports coaxial S/Pdif output, a DAC with USB like the Modi 2 and just forget the sound card and 3D audio or get a DAC with optical like the Modi 2 Uber.

 

[EmiG310]

  My Vali 2 came today. Box and layout was simple but nice. Like how they secured the amp in there. I was worried about breaking something when putting the tube in lol.
 
Unfortunately I can't get my Creative X-FI Titanium HD to work. I bought the RCA cables, set everything up, but no sound. I was pretty sure it supported RCA out (the interchange terms between coaxial and S/Pdif confuse me), but now I'm thinking either the drivers are messed up even after I've tried everything to fix it or it doesn't support this anyways (which is weird and sucky but I guess maybe not surprising?). I've never seen claims that it couldn't do this output until when searching for a fix to my problem I found this mention 
 
http://www.guru3d.com/articles-pages/sound-blaster-x-fi-titanium-hd-review,3.html
 
 

 
 
 
I don't know if this is verified true, but it isn't looking good. The sound card has a decent built in DAC and I wanted to be able to use the CMSS-3D. Damn, I didn't want to spend anymore money 

 
I guess if it literally can't work I have three options, either buy a sound card that supports coaxial S/Pdif output, a DAC with USB like the Modi 2 and just forget the sound card and 3D audio or get a DAC with optical like the Modi 2 Uber.

 
 
So you want Line Out to go to IN on the Vali 2:
 
 

 

[Trojita]

   
 
So you want Line Out to go to IN on the Vali 2:
 
 

Tried that
 
So either the cables are bad or they just can't do it. I put the white cable and red cable in their respective colors (I actually tried both sets of r/w just in case) then the other end went into the IN ports on the back of the Vali 2. Am I missing something here?

 

[Skarecrow77]

  Tried that
 
So either the cables are bad or they just can't do it. I put the white cable and red cable in their respective colors (I actually tried both sets of r/w just in case) then the other end went into the IN ports on the back of the Vali 2. Am I missing something here?

 
cheap solution, use the headphone out... line would be better, but take what you can get:
 
www.amzn.com/B00DI89NPE

better solution, ditch the internal sound card, and go with the companion DAC to the vali 2:
 
http://schiit.com/products/modi-2

 

[Letmebefrank]

  Tried that
 
So either the cables are bad or they just can't do it. I put the white cable and red cable in their respective colors (I actually tried both sets of r/w just in case) then the other end went into the IN ports on the back of the Vali 2. Am I missing something here?

 
Check the sound blaster software settings to see if there is an output selection, because sometimes it only outputs through the headphone out by default. Also check your windows playback devices to see if you have the right option selected in there as well.

 

[Noremac82]

This was my first amp and I have had it for a couple months. I am sure there are better amps out there but I can say this is the one that got me hooked. You can always tell when I like something because I have to make it my own so mine received a paint job and a new volume knob.i also replaced the stock tube with a Pope PCC88 which is supposed to be the same as an Amperex Bugle Boy, just under a different name. I don't know if that is true but it made a world of difference. It really brought out the highs and cleared up the sound over the entire spectrum. I have a Golden Lion tube also and to me it has a darker sound but still clear. I am going to stick with the Pope tube for now though.

I also replaced all the electrolytic caps with Silmic II's of equivalent size and rating. This made a world of difference in the sound quality after they got broken in. The caps are much larger than original so they are mounted off the PCB on a piece of prototype board. I can still get the cover back on it though. I am not sure the upgrade was worth the trouble and voiding the warranty but I am in the process of learning about tube amps so it was worth it to me. I have my eyes on a couple more components in there that might need to be upgraded just to see how it change the sound.

I might start a thread once I get past my probationary period on here to shows how I performed my upgrades and log their progress. I need better headphones now so I can take advantage of the improved sound. Kinda bad when a 170 dollar amp convinces you to spend 5 or 600 on a new set of headphones. Oh well, I guess that means I have the "bug" and I am happy to admit it.

Bottom line, this is a great introductory amp and one that I will always remember as the amp that got it all started for me! And I will always hate it too because I have a feeling it is going to cause me to spend a lot of money in my pursuit of perfection!

 

[dmallen]

Had the Vali 2 for a few months now, done some tube rolling so time to report in. Main listening has been with the HE-400S and other times the HD-650.
 
Fav tube: Electro-Harmonix 6922 Gold Pin - Spacious, clean open sound, bass is sharp and pops (not sure a bass term)
 
Other Tubes:-
 
  Russian 6H23n-EB - not enough time on this one, but after some hours think it will open up. TBA
 
  JJ Electronic Gold Pin - nice but no Electro-Harmonix
 
Stock Tub:-  6BZ7 Canada was decent and if did know better would have been fine.
 
Look at the BELL e88cc tube next for kicks as peeps seem to like this one.
 
Overall, love the little Amp to introduce tubes, rolling tubes, hearing music in a way it should sound.

 

[MtnMan307]

I'm excited to pick up my K7XX after work today. I should have a good first impression to discuss.

 

[MtnMan307]

I thought the Vali 2 sounded pretty good with the M50x, and it does, but the K7XX is the reason why I bought this amplifier.  I have been listening for most of the evening and this pairing is something else for the price.  My Amperex Orange Label tube showed up today also, rolled that in there.  
 
If not for the internet and this forum especially, I would probably not have known about this great little tube amp and awesome headphones.