[James-uk]

James: You should keep your mind open when it comes to amps. To imply all tube amps are overtly coloring the sound is simply incorrect. Triodes can be quite linear when implemented right and provide a certain transparency (yes transparency) that subpar solid state gear lacks. It's something you have to hear firsthand in order to understand.

I'm pretty certain some tube amps sound transparent. They also look better . Win win. The point I'm making is transparent amps can be had at a reasonable price . I'm going to buy a crack Kit just so I can enjoy building an amp. I will probably like the way it sounds more than my solid state amps but that doesn't mean it's better .

 

[MattTCG]

The Lyr didn't work at all for me with the 800. Too much brute force and not enough finese. Gave it somewhat of a smeared sound IMO.

 

[lin0003]

Ok, I guess if I don't like it I can always sell it on. 
 
Really interested in trying a Vali though, with all the good things being said about it. 

 

[zilch0md]

FiiO X5 (PCM1792A) Line Out > AudioQuest Golden Gate Mini-to-RCA interconnect > Schiit Valhalla 2 > unmodified HD800 with stock cable
 
 
I've had the Valhalla 2 playing for two hours now...  and it's getting better by the minute.  I can't resist making some brief comments that I feel are safely warranted by what I'm already hearing.
 
Having bought the HD800 last December, they are finally beginning to sound like "keepers."  The Valhalla 2 is fresh out of the box, so there's a (slim) possibility it could go downhill from here, but it's currently way, way better than the Schiit Vali and...  way better than the OPPO HA-1, single-ended or balanced, using the same source.  And I don't need to A/B the amps to tell!
 
The simple fact that I am no longer annoyed by the HD800 treble tells me straight away that I prefer this amp with the HD800 over anything else I've tried - including the aforementioned Vali and HA-1, as well as a CEntrance DACmini CX, my 15V-powered Meier Stepdance, the iBasso PB2 w/LME49990s and dummy buffers, the Beresford Bushmaster MkII, and a TBI Audio Millenia MG3 speaker amp with a -15.8 dB resistor network.  I've spent several hours with the HD800 on each of those amps (an admittedly mid-to-low-end solid state hodgepodge), but none of them, including the HA-1 can compete with the Valhalla 2 at taming that fatiguing treble.  
 
I've hung onto the HD800 while literally tolerating the edginess, because its most desirable traits have kept me hooked to the belief that there might be an affordable solution.  But It has always been like eating an absolutely perfect, medium rare, aged cut of filet mignon, that's covered with mud - forcing me to consume the bad with the good.  Now, I can finally enjoy it without wincing!
 
I didn't expect the Valhalla 2 to be a Cavalli Liquid Glass or a DNA Stratus, but it's much better than I had anticipated - a steal at $349.  I've been such a hardcore solid-state guy, I can't believe I'm listening to tubes, now.  
 
30 days spent with a borrowed Schiit Lyr a couple of years ago, before I had the HD800, was a turn off - as I found I actually preferred the sound of my portable Meier Stepdance to the sound of the Lyr, driving my LCD-2 rev.1.  The Lyr lacked the transparency and detail of the 15V-powered Stepdance, with not all that much better dynamics, across three sets of tubes I tried, including some NOS Mullards.  So, yeah...  I can't believe this particular Schiit tube amp is sounding so neutral, transparent and detailed with the HD800.
 
I'll stop there for now, except to shout a big "Thank you!" to purrin for the fact that when he writes about gear with which I'm familiar, his words nearly always ring true with my own experience and tastes. This made ordering the Valhalla 2 a lot less risky for me, and it's turned out to be a definite win.  Finding a reviewer who has your own tastes, but a lot more experience, and the ability to articulate his opinions, is priceless.
 

 
Mike

 

[BournePerfect]

There's much more to amps than transparency. The HD800s are capable of well beyond what the O2 can give. I find it funny the loudest sceptics around here are usually the ones who have the least experience, and are the most unwilling to put their prejudices aside and find out for themselves. These types of circular arguments have gone on for years regarding the HD800-but unfortunately it's these same sceptics who are unwilling to take their head out of the sand and learn for themselves-that keep perpetuating the same nonsense.
 
A shame really.
 
-Daniel

 

[Wildcatsare1]

The Lyr didn't work at all for me with the 800. Too much brute force and not enough finese. Gave it somewhat of a smeared sound IMO.[/quote

Matt, have you had a chance to try the Lyr 2 with your 800's yet? Had a Lyr 1, briefly, and the Lyr 2 is superior across the board.

 

[ubs28]

Do you guys recommened an external amp when using a Chord Hugo? If so, what amp to use? I'm thinking about the HDVD 800 or HDVD 600 with the Chord Hugo if the sound improves alot.

 

[JustinBieber]

@zilch0md Thank you for the Valhalla 2 feedback. I'm really tempted to grab one for my 800. Though, there is a Crack I can get built already for $<300. Valhalla 2 is actually about $400 for me (damn California sales tax). 

 

[62ohm]

  There's much more to amps than transparency. The HD800s are capable of well beyond what the O2 can give. I find it funny the loudest sceptics around here are usually the ones who have the least experience, and are the most unwilling to put their prejudices aside and find out for themselves. These types of circular arguments have gone on for years regarding the HD800-but unfortunately it's these same sceptics who are unwilling to take their head out of the sand and learn for themselves-that keep perpetuating the same nonsense.
 
A shame really.
 
-Daniel

 
Agreed, sometimes skeptics who refused to try out various higher-end gear looks like a bunch of people in denial and wanted to believe they don't need to spend more money..
 
 
On another note, @Sorrodje have you tried the BHA-1 with HD800? If so, what do you think about how it compares to the DNA Sonett 2?

 

[zilch0md]

   
FINALLY.
 
Mike.. you've come to the dark side (tubes).

 
Hey!
 
Yes!   I've been listening for over five hours straight, at this point!  
 
It's all I can do not to unpack the HD650 I've got boxed up for sale, but I'm so happy with the Valhala 2 > HD800, now, I'm not going to tempt myself into keeping the HD650, too.  
 

 
Mike

 

[zilch0md]

  @zilch0md Thank you for the Valhalla 2 feedback. I'm really tempted to grab one for my 800. Though, there is a Crack I can get built already for $<300. Valhalla 2 is actually about $400 for me (damn California sales tax). 

 
You're welcome!  But here's the post that got me researching and thinking hard about the Valhalla 2:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/650510/the-new-hd800-impressions-thread/12615#post_10774632
 
Mike

 

[pearljam50000]

Hi, has anyone compared the Neumann KH120 to HD800?

 

[Zoom25]

Hi, has anyone compared the Neumann KH120 to HD800?

Back to monitors are we? I remember the last time this came up 

 

 

[kphfrail]

how does the Schiit Valhalla before the revision to mk2 compare to the Valhalla 2?

 

[skeptic]

I've not heard any evidence yet to convince me that the O2 is anything other than transparent . All you have done here is add another opinion into the ring. You prefer another amp to the O2 . That's fine . But you haven't convinced me it's better. All you have done is show that you PREFER another amp to O2 (insert other boring, modern, consumer, Everyman amp )
Also explain optimally to me .....' but hd800s just aren't driven optimally with the o2 when compared to some of the other options out there'. I see it the other way. They are driven optimally by O2 but you PREFER a less optimal amp to alter the hd800s sound to suit your taste.

James - I think you may have misread me a bit. I acknowledged that this is all ultimately subjective and had intended the qualifier "for me at least" to extend to my sentence about optimal pairings. I've got no agenda here but rather was inspired to pipe in since I (unlike many in this thread) am actually a fan of the o2,just not so much with my hd800s.

That said, on the tech side, I think there are criteria to consider that are often omitted from discussions of the o2, i.e. my comments above about reliance on heavy global negative feedback to hit certain metrics. This can lead to transient intermodulation distortion which was not a measurement the o2s designer ever shared. Second, output impedance impacts the hd800s FR, as documented in the measurements purrin took. If Senns own amps have an output impedance of 40 ohms, one could certainly posit that Senn thinks that is the ideal spec for its flagship in terms of resulting FR. (Personally I think 40 is a bit high (more bass bloom than is my ideal) and prefer the 16 ohm setting on my mainline to its 32 ohm setting, but you can see where I'm going with this.) Conversely, if you agree with the designer and benchmark and others who think output impedance should always be as low as possible, then the o2 would also be suboptimal because 0 ohm SS amps are available (or you can improve on the o2 with agdrs board). Finally, no one contends the o2 has an impressive slew rate in stock form. Again, I like my o2 but think hyperbole and claims that it is the benchmark for transparency need to go. The wire trumps the o2 across the board, so if measurement first amps are your thing, you might try building one. Part cost is low and smd really isn't that hard. The case work is the only real challenge.

When you do have a chance to compare your o2 with hd800s to a well designed tube amp, like a mainline, l-2, zana etc., I will be very curious to hear your subjective conclusions.