Budget-Fi Comparison: Schiit Magni vs. Bravo V2 with Schiit Modi vs. Pure i-20
Nov 25, 2013 at 4:23 AM Post #16 of 20
As of this writing, I have shifted things around a bit. This comparison has forever altered my perceptions of my own gear. So I'm going with what sounds best, and what is most practical, for the moment. On the bright side, that means I need New Gear. LOL.
 
The Work Setup has returned to the ipod -> Pure i-20 -> Bravo V2 -> Sony MDR 7506. I am still rolling a variety of tubes, but there's currently a 50's vintage round getter Mullard in it.
 
The Home Setup #1 has change to be laptop -> Schiit Modi -> Bravo V2 (this is a second amp) -> Beyer DT 770. I got this Bravo more cheaply on eBay, for 50-some bucks. It's currently sporting a 50's vintage D-getter Mullard, which sounds really, really good.
 
The Other Home Setup #2 has become another laptop -> Schiit Magni -> ATH M40fs. Yes, you read that correctly - no DAC. That means I'm double amping, I know. I bought a 3.5mm to RCA cord and am limping along on this until I again shuffle my setups. This has become my junkpile setup I guess. I use it to keep from waking up my kids on the weekend when I'm at another location. I have to equalize the sound coming from iTunes like mad to make the ATH M40fs sound acceptable (and it's just barely that). Fortunately the Magni is up to the task of pushing these stubbornly bad sounding cans, a bit harder. A comment someone made in my review of those cans, has made me wonder if I can break them in a bit more using the Magni.
 
The really curious finding was that the Beyer DT770's can sound good with the Bravo driving them. This is the one thing that baffles me the most. I just can't understand why my perception of the SQ of this amp vs. the Magni has change so much. I can't explain it. I just know that now, it sounds good. Especially with a high quality Mullard in the amp - it is really quite nice.
 
Another curious finding is that the ATH M40fs cans can actually be made to sound better with the Magni driving them. Even with double amping and no DAC. The SQ is still noticeably bad - it sounds "cheap" compared to my other setups, and it's got a smiley faced EQ setting just to get there. So they are still far from optimal. But they don't quite deserve to be thrown away yet, and I can credit the Schiit Magni for saving them from certain death.
 
One last tidbit ... my son broke another set of headphones (amazing how fast that boy seems to break stuff) .. so I decided to buy him a set of the Monoprice 8323 budget-fi cans that so many people seem to rave over. I gave them a brief listen using the Magni (sans DAC), and they were acceptable, but just as cheesy as the ATH M40's. Maybe a bit more cheesy. The headband on those is not very comfy, the ear pads are plastic and feel as cheap as they look, and quite frankly I could not figure out why some people gush over them as much as they do. I suppose for $32 bucks they're not bad, but from my perspective, you get what you pay for, and they surely are cheap $32 dollar cans. I would not recommend them.
 
Aug 31, 2014 at 4:22 PM Post #17 of 20
This thread is over a year old but I found it while searching for tubes and information on the bravo amp. 
Wanted to say thanks for the informative review. I felt it was well balanced and useful. I can feel your angst in your review and appreciate
your effort.
My linux box is providing audio (FLAC) to a usb Fiio e10k which in turn is driving a Bravo Ocean amp. Am using Gradio 325e headphones.
Have an RCA clear top tube I got off of tctubes and am really enjoying it. 
Once again, thanks for the review. It was really helpful!
 
Sep 28, 2014 at 4:54 AM Post #18 of 20
  This thread is over a year old but I found it while searching for tubes and information on the bravo amp. 
Wanted to say thanks for the informative review. I felt it was well balanced and useful. I can feel your angst in your review and appreciate
your effort.
My linux box is providing audio (FLAC) to a usb Fiio e10k which in turn is driving a Bravo Ocean amp. Am using Gradio 325e headphones.
Have an RCA clear top tube I got off of tctubes and am really enjoying it. 
Once again, thanks for the review. It was really helpful!

 
You're welcome bro.
 
I've modified one of my Bravo V2's, and have been listening to it for the last couple months. I've been kind of lazy about writing a review vs. the stock V2, but I think it deserves one. The modified V2 is definitely a better amp, but the bang for the buck goes down quickly, depending on how much you need to spend to modify it. Hopefully I'll get motivated soon.
 
Jan 12, 2015 at 5:01 AM Post #19 of 20
   
You're welcome bro.
 
I've modified one of my Bravo V2's, and have been listening to it for the last couple months. I've been kind of lazy about writing a review vs. the stock V2, but I think it deserves one. The modified V2 is definitely a better amp, but the bang for the buck goes down quickly, depending on how much you need to spend to modify it. Hopefully I'll get motivated soon.


What I think you found was your a tube head kind of guy I wonder how you would like the Vali instead of the Magni?
The moment I bought a Tube amp for mu guitar I have never looked back and only own a portable solid state amp for taking on trips.
 
Jan 21, 2015 at 6:22 AM Post #20 of 20
 
What I think you found was your a tube head kind of guy I wonder how you would like the Vali instead of the Magni?
The moment I bought a Tube amp for mu guitar I have never looked back and only own a portable solid state amp for taking on trips.

 
Maybe. But with my rather limited selection of amps, its hard for me to pronounce myself a tube head. Yet.
 
I would not spend the money for a Vali, just for that reason. Personally, I think Schiit invented the Vali to fill the void between the rather cheap Bravo amps and the over-priced Garbage 86 (or whatever their name is) hybrid amps. They hit a sweet spot between Cheap and Expensive and also took the whole "what tube should I buy" question out of the equation. Very smart.
 
Bravo amps are great for work where someone might walk off with it, and you don't want to worry about your stuff being stolen, but you want a little Tubey Sound while you work. The stock model really can't be beat, especially when paired with a nice old vintage tube.
 
Modifying the Bravo amps is only for the curious. There is no financial reason to do so, the payback is too small. You're better off getting a better amp to start with.
 
The next amp I will buy will be a Bottlehead Crack. I came to that conclusion quite some time ago. Finances have prevented me from pulling the trigger, but that might change soon. Does that mean I'm a tube head? Maybe, lol. I'm not so much of a purist, as someone who knows what they like to listen to (within the limits of my old ears and my wallet). I am also a former musician, so musical quality (as opposed to accuracy) is more interesting to me.
 

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