[abhinit90]

Just ordered the Vali yesterday. Do you get a confirmation email when they ship the item?
 
This is my first order with Schiit so I'm unaware of their routines.
 
I'm asking this because I couldn't find a way to track the "Status" of the order on the Schiit website. I can't even access the order number of my order on the site, though I got it in the email :/
 

 

[RMiller]

  Just ordered the Vali yesterday. Do you get a confirmation email when they ship the item?
 
This is my first order with Schiit so I'm unaware of their routines.
 
I'm asking this because I couldn't find a way to track the "Status" of the order on the Schiit website. I can't even access the order number of my order on the site, though I got it in the email :/
 

 
Yes, you will get confirmation ("Your order at Schiit Audio has shipped"), until then you can only wait, mine took ~4 days to ship I think

 

[abhinit90]

   
Yes, you will get confirmation ("Your order at Schiit Audio has shipped"), until then you can only wait, mine took ~4 days to ship I think

Thank you RMiller

 

[Zojokkeli]

Just finished up paying customs etc, and the final price for Modi+Vali ended up being 280€, which would translate roughly to something around 350$. Expecting the package arrival at tomorrow. Here's hoping it's worth it. 

 
I probably have to upgrade my HD 598's to HD  600 or 650 to get most out of the experience, but that will have to wait for the time being.

 

[oopeteroo]

hi
right now i have the he500 + Audio-GD NFB-11.32.
But since the vali got released i kinda want to buy the modi+vali cuz it looks so sleek and i heard its good.
so im wondering which one will be better for he500 ? modi+vali or 11.32 ?
 
and i will maybe sell my he500 and buy back a hd650.
will the hd650 be better with 11.32 or modi+vali ?

 

[leesure]

Na... I've grown to hate tube rolling. One starts to develop OCD and listen to tubes instead of music. Some of those tubes start to get expensive (like costing almost as much as the amp), which kind of defeats the Lyr's low price. All of a sudden, the Lyr is no longer a $350 amp. $1865 dollars later in NOS tubes, and I've finally found something that I really like... oh wait, there's more tubes I need to try...

I certainly agree that tube rolling is a rabbit hole down which you can fall and risk never getting out.

That said, the JJ ECC88 that shipped with the Lyr is notoriously gawdawful. It's real dreck. It's grainy, blurred and harsh. To the point that I don't think Schiit even uses it any more. Audio companies were using them because they were cheap and still in production...the latter factor being very important to ensure consistency. The problem is, they also suck...HARD. Fortunately, there are inexpensive alternatives. Even the compatible 6BZ7 from Schiit's site is a big improvement over the JJ. The Amperex Orange Globes are plentiful enough and inexpensive, even relative to the price of the amp. They are not so plentiful that a manufacturer that does the volume that Schiit does could rely on a never ending supply, but plentiful enough that someone who cares about music and sound (enough to...say...use $5000 headphones) should make the effort to use them. If your judgements re: the Vali v The Lyr are based upon the configuration with the JJ's, I can understand your conclusion.

I understand the position that states 'I'm comparing the amps the way the manufacturer configured them.' But one of the features and advantages of the Lyr is the ability to shape the sound to your taste with the tubes. To not do that is to ignore one of the key differences and advantages.

This is not to say the Lyr is better than the Vali, tho it sounds that way to my ear. It's it simply to say that judging the Lyr with the JJ tubes is like judging the handling of a Ferrari with basic all-weather tires.

EDIT: as I thought...Schiit no longer offers the POS JJ tubes any more:

 

[thegunner100]

  hi
right now i have the he500 + Audio-GD NFB-11.32.
But since the vali got released i kinda want to buy the modi+vali cuz it looks so sleek and i heard its good.
so im wondering which one will be better for he500 ? modi+vali or 11.32 ?
 
and i will maybe sell my he500 and buy back a hd650.
will the hd650 be better with 11.32 or modi+vali ?

You COULD use the 11.32 as a dac-only and feed it to the Vali... That's what I plan to do with my nfb-10es2. 

 

[leesure]

Looks like the going rate for a pair of Amperex OG's is $79

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=Amperex+orange+globe&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.XAmperex+orange+globe+6dj8&_nkw=Amperex+orange+globe+6dj8&_sacat=0

 

[NinjaHamster]

Looks like the going rate for a pair of Amperex OG's is $79

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=Amperex+orange+globe&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.XAmperex+orange+globe+6dj8&_nkw=Amperex+orange+globe+6dj8&_sacat=0

And worth every penny of that !! 

 

[MattTCG]

   
Yes, you will get confirmation ("Your order at Schiit Audio has shipped"), until then you can only wait, mine took ~4 days to ship I think

 
I never got a notification or email from Schiit. I went to their website and checked my order status to find out that it had shipped and got the tracking. Actually it's on the truck for delivery now. 

I certainly agree that tube rolling is a rabbit hole down which you can fall and risk never getting out.

That said, the JJ ECC88 that shipped with the Lyr is notoriously gawdawful. It's real dreck. It's grainy, blurred and harsh. To the point that I don't think Schiit even uses it any more. Audio companies were using them because they were cheap and still in production...the latter factor being very important to ensure consistency. The problem is, they also suck...HARD. Fortunately, there are inexpensive alternatives. Even the compatible 6BZ7 from Schiit's site is a big improvement over the JJ. The Amperex Orange Globes are plentiful enough and inexpensive, even relative to the price of the amp. They are not so plentiful that a manufacturer that does the volume that Schiit does could rely on a never ending supply, but plentiful enough that someone who cares about music and sound (enough to...say...use $5000 headphones) should make the effort to use them. If your judgements re: the Vali v The Lyr are based upon the configuration with the JJ's, I can understand your conclusion.

I understand the position that states 'I'm comparing the amps the way the manufacturer configured them.' But one of the features and advantages of the Lyr is the ability to shape the sound to your taste with the tubes. To not do that is to ignore one of the key differences and advantages.

This is not to say the Lyr is better than the Vali, tho it sounds that way to my ear. It's it simply to say that judging the Lyr with the JJ tubes is like judging the handling of a Ferrari with basic all-weather tires.

EDIT: as I thought...Schiit no longer offers the POS JJ tubes any more:

 

 
I agree. The jj's are some of the worst tubes for the lyr and I wouldn't use them under any circumstances. They are harsh and hard to listen to. I can't imagine why Schiit ever included them on such a nice amp in the first place...well, maybe I can imagine it. 

  And worth every penny of that !! 

 
The Orange Globes are a very safe bet and easily let the lyr shine. I would suspect that Purrin might have felt differently about the lyr if he'd heard it with a set of Orange Globes instead of the jj's. 

 

[NinjaHamster]

   
I never got a notification or email from Schiit. I went to their website and checked my order status to find out that it had shipped and got the tracking. Actually it's on the truck for delivery now. 

 
I agree. The jj's are some of the worst tubes for the lyr and I wouldn't use them under any circumstances. They are harsh and hard to listen to. I can't imagine why Schiit ever included them on such a nice amp in the first place...well, maybe I can imagine it. 

 
The Orange Globes are a very safe bet and easily let the lyr shine. I would suspect that Purrin might have felt differently about the lyr if he'd heard it with a set of Orange Globes instead of the jj's. 

 
Yep - the Lyr is remarkably transparent to the tube being used given its low price.  If you just used the stock tubes, you'd be doing it a grave disservice (having said that, the GE's aren't TOO bad).

 

[AHorseNamedJeff]

please explain why anyone would choose USB over the optical connection. It's more expensive and schiit has always recommended Optical over usb for best sound quality. also much less expensive. A

Universal Serial Bus
Everyone uses it that's why. It's the standard for digital connections.

 

[RMiller]

   
I never got a notification or email from Schiit. I went to their website and checked my order status to find out that it had shipped and got the tracking. Actually it's on the truck for delivery now. 

 
Mine is shipped internationally, maybe there's some difference in the process then, who knows though
 
Btw, I've read the whole topic, but still I'm a bit puzzled, is there any DAC that should go well with Vali other than Bifrost Uber and more expensive options? Something like $250-300?

 

[skyline315]

Purrin (or anyone else that has heard both)
 
How would you compare the Vali to the Lyr?

 

[Barry S]

  Purrin (or anyone else that has heard both)
 
How would you compare the Vali to the Lyr?

The Lyr sounds warmer and thicker to me compared to the Vali. The Lyr has more of a tube character with a softer signature. The Vali sounds a bit cleaner to me with more treble sparkle.