[Rusty143]

I have just purchased a Schiit Valhalla 2 amp to power my Sennheiser HD 600 headphones. I am currently running the headphones through an iPhone 5. Yup, high end stuff! I have a good speaker based system and am just growing into headphones. If you are like me, and have read endlessly on these forums and others, then you must also be feeling that a review of the Valhalla 2 is needed.

I will base my review on my experience of what I know good sound reproduction to be. I base it on the artist(s) being present in my room; that's a long story made short.

I have owned a tube power amp for 20+ years and have pretty good experience with tube rolling.

Stay tuned!!!

 

[HPiper]

Mine will be here Thursday. Replacing a Little Dot Mk3. I am pretty sure this is going to be a huge improvement in sound quality. In terms of tube rolling, does the model 2 take the same tubes that the model 1 does?

 

[Rusty143]

Good tuff! Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.

The Valhalla 2 uses the same tubes as the Valhalla 1.

The 6n1p tubes are rollable with ant 6dj8 variant. Lots of new production tubes and some NOS (new old stock.... Not used tubes from the era they were produced. In the case of the 6dj8, late 1950s to early 70s are considered nos).

My Valhalla is on its way from California. Will post when it gets here.

Happy listening.

 

[Vitalstatistix]

Enjoy your Valhalla 2!

 

[HPiper]

It is here...it is warmed up...I am going in...

 

[Otheronek]

  It is here...it is warmed up...I am going in...

   This should be some good schiit!

 

[HPiper]

I have only just gotten into it and still have a few headphones I want to listen to through it, but I can say as Schiit alludes to on their website, it pairs extremely well with all my Sennhiesers. My favorite is the HD650 and HD700, this amp is perfect with both of those phones and probably close to the best I have ever heard them. I still need to try it with my T1, which I imagine it will do very well with, and my LCD2 which I don't think it will do very well with. More to come later.

 

[grrorr76]

I to am about to take the plunge on a schist audio amp. I am throwing up between the Valhalla 2 and the LYR. I have beer T1's can anyone tell me in simple terms what is different between the 2 amps . Is the LYR 2 worth the extra dough over the Valhalla . I can't seem to find a good comparison..

 

[HPiper]

I think with those headphones I'd go with the Valhalla 2. It is going to sound just as good and maybe just a bit better. It will save you $100 too. However if you plan on getting some other phones in the future and in particular some type of planar, then I'd get a Lyr as it is more versatile.

 

[grrorr76]

No 

  I think with those headphones I'd go with the Valhalla 2. It is going to sound just as good and maybe just a bit better. It will save you $100 too. However if you plan on getting some other phones in the future and in particular some type of planar, then I'd get a Lyr as it is more versatile.

No I plan on sticking with the beer t1's I love them a lot..  Can anyone elaborate a bit more about the combination the sound quality and any other interesting tidbits that might inform me about the Valhalla..   Also tube wise any suggestions for the ideal combination that would show it and my headphones of at there best?

 

[Rusty143]

Just posted a intro to myself and the Valhalla 2. Then lost it on an iPad. 3 hours of listening and writing gone. Anyone know how to recover that?

 

[Rusty143]

Arrrrrgggggg. Nothing like losing 2 hours of writing alone to start you review!!!!

I remiss.

I have had the amp plugged in and warming up for about 90 minutes. I then played some music and got a very quick first impression, which was as it should be......perfect new tube amp enclosed and tight in sound.

Try this------ Ever placed your headphones in your main listening/loudspeaker and played them quietly with a couple of friends at a quiet point in a night? Me neither. Until tonight when I was warming the whole headphone system up. Wow!!! If you have very good open back headphones, the sound they provide from a pure quality sense is crazy!!! Clean, accurate, present.

I have listening to the VH2 for an hour, with headphones as prescribed by builder (on ears rather than table).

Each few minutes that open up more and more. Sarah McLaughlin - afterglow.

My interpretation is that the amp is now warmed up. Much bigger soundstage than first listen. Just waaayyy cool sound only 5 hours sound. Wow!!!!!!

Separation of instruments, decay of sound, relaxing of drivers still needed.

Overall, 5 hours in, after all I have read and what I have expected, I am absolutely thrilled with how the VH2 sounds. If it gets better from this point, it will approach the level of sound quality that will allow me to listen music with renewed joy all over again.

Stay tuned.

 

[grrorr76]

Arrrrrgggggg. Nothing like losing 2 hours of writing alone to start you review!!!!

I remiss.

I have had the amp plugged in and warming up for about 90 minutes. I then played some music and got a very quick first impression, which was as it should be......perfect new tube amp enclosed and tight in sound.

Try this

---

Ever placed your headphones in your main listening/loudspeaker and played them quietly with a couple of friends at a quiet point in a night? Me neither. Until tonight when I was warming the whole headphone system up. Wow!!! If you have very good open back headphones, the sound they provide from a pure quality sense is crazy!!! Clean, accurate, present.

I have listening to the VH2 for an hour, with headphones as prescribed by builder (on ears rather than table).

Each few minutes that open up more and more. Sarah McLaughlin - afterglow.

My interpretation is that the amp is now warmed up. Much bigger soundstage than first listen. Just waaayyy cool sound only 5 hours sound. Wow!!!!!!

Separation of instruments, decay of sound, relaxing of drivers still needed.

Overall, 5 hours in, after all I have read and what I have expected, I am absolutely thrilled with how the VH2 sounds. If it gets better from this point, it will approach the level of sound quality that will allow me to listen music with renewed joy all over again.

Stay tuned.

Thats very exciting for those of about to purchase one. Ill be interested to hear are these opinions based on the stock tubes or have you put some others in?

 

[Rusty143]

I am doing all of my listening, at this point, with the stock tubes so I can a good sense of the amp and any changes it may go through. I have a few types of 6DJ8 tubes that I will try once I feel it is fully broken in (Amperex Bugle Boys, PQs, Telefunkens, Mullards). I put 7 hours on the amp last night and will continue with more break in and listening today.

 

[Otheronek]

Any updates?