I just went through this entire thread.
This is what I call a lot of Schiit.
I ordered the HD600 two days ago, coming back to the hobby, and have decided to try a lot of Schiit, kind of as a research (that how i rationalize the coming spending spree). I am travelling to the USA, NYC, only to try a lot of audio gear. So, the plan is to order now the Magni 2 Uber, and then a few days before september 15th, the day Im arriving at NYC, order the Asgard 2 and Valhalla 2, probably with the HD650, to make some extensive comparison between all of them, to keep what Iike the most. I haven't ordered the Magni 2 uber because I ordered the HD600 bundled with a gift card that I planned to use to pay for the amp, and I will receive tomorrow.
I feel tempted to go all the way to the HD800, but in all honesty I feel much better putting that kind of money into my also upcoming speaker upgrade (thinking about Klipsch palladium bookshelf - A rated by stereophile). But who knows, maybe I can convince my cousin to get it just to try it and if it impresses me enough as to pay 1300, I might keep it and come back to DR and sell a kidney, as cool people do. But I am not holding my breath, because flagship models are luxury items, far, very far from good value.
I am leaving the DACs out of the question because if i include them now I would have to sell the kidney now, and I am not into that.
Last night I connected my Behringer q502USB mixer and was surprised by its power and clarity with my Hd595.I looked it up and they are rated at 170mW into 300ohms, so I suppose they should be quite decent with my new HD600 tomorrow when they get here. I am using the mixer with my Yamaha Rx-V675 as DAC. The DAC in the mixer was extremely bright and sibilant. The DAC in the Yamaha 675 seems to be extremely flat, to the point that I find most music very boring, except jazz. What I find lacking from the mixer is the soundstage. I had a long time without using my headphones (last night I realized that most of it has been because my receiver has a ludicrous headphone output), but I do remember taking my Hd595 off often because sounds seemed to come from outside, as if there were speakers in the room. Not with this mixer. Everything is right there coming from the drivers. Very clean, flat, but boring. I think the limitation now are the headphones, but I might be wrong.
I will be ordering the magni 2 u tomorrow, from amazon, so I will probably have it here next tuesday. The first contender to the magni 2 uber is going to be my surprisingly powerful and dirt cheap Behringer Q502USB mixer. It should be an interesting journey.
Does any of you think I should go to the Valhalla 2 and be over with it or do you think I should start small and do my research with the HD600??
In the end, I just want to have great sound, and in the process learn about the hobby and the impact of electronics in it.