I think this review was long overdue. Magni was one of the first headphone amps I've ever owned and I kept it almost always throughout my audio journey. Through the past two years, I've had it head to head with amps that exceed its value by 5x+,yet, I still find Magni to be an excellent entry level amp even after direct comparisons.   Build: Schiit always has stellar build quality. I've used all of their amps, including Ragnarok. I have owned Valhalla, Lyr (twice), and Magni (three times). Every amp I used was well built and Schiit always responds...

The HE560 is Hifiman's attempt at making a headphone between the HE500 & HE6, as of the time posting this review, there are two known versions of the HE560: the preorder version and production (rev 1 as I call it) version. The preorder version has numerous differences in build quality, but, they sound very similar. I've listed some photos below showing the build differences between the models. Just click on them to make them larger.   Preorder one says HE560, new one doesn't and is a bit less tall but deeper, both boxes had scratches and marks when...

Note: All of my listening impressions of the Stax SR-202 were done with a Stax SRM-313 amplifier, which was hooked up to an AMB y2 DAC via the RCA input with SKW JIB braided interconnects. For the dynamic headphone comparison, a Schiit Lyr (with Sylvania 6BQ7A tubes) was used with the same DAC and interconnects.   First off, the driver unit: There isn’t really too much to say about the driver, it feels well built and looks beautiful in person. The potentiometer utilizes a double axis design, which means you either turn the whole knob to make the...

First off, before I begin this review, I would like to give a big thank you to the guys over at Audeze and Burson Audio for letting me demo their Conductor SL & LCD3. This review would not have been possible if it wasn't for their generosity.    So, first off the Conductor SLs build quality is excellent. The aluminum housing looks and feels amazing. The Volume pot allows for excellent control, it doesn’t feel too stiff or firm. Under the hood everything looks clean (soldering, wiring, etc.) and it is very easy to swap out the DACs. Just take out...

First off, before I begin this review, I would like to give a big thank you to the guys over at Audeze and Burson Audio for letting me demo their Conductor SL & LCD3. This review would not have been possible if it wasn't for their generosity. Stay tuned for a Conductor SL review soon.   Comfort/Build: Very good, the LCD3 does a good job at evenly distributing the weight around your head so that no specific area has more pressure on it causing fatigue. The lambskin earpads are very plush. This, coupled with modest padding towards the top of the...

Since the Gamma y2 is a DIY project I'm not going to comment on the build quality as its dependent on the builder.   The Sound   The sound of the y2 varies on how it was built. Mine is using ASRC with standard parts, no special capacitors, power supplies, etc. Sound wise I don't notice any tonal changes when hooking it up to my Schiit Valhalla or speakers. Rather, the y2 improves more on the technical aspects of the sound. One thing I notice from switching back and forth vs on board sound is that everything sounds less mashed up and is spaced out...

After upgrading to the Valhalla, I thought I'd give it a review while comparing the lower end Magni that I upgraded from. Keep in mind these are all subjective thoughts, what may be a con for me may be a pro for you based on your preferences.   Non sound impressions: Build quality, as always, is excellent with Schiit. I can't find a single thing wrong with how it was constructed, it's solid, and even though it has a pretty compact size, it weighs a lot more than you would think. Compared to the Magni, it runs much, much hotter, but that is expected...

I am currently using a loaner pair of HE-500's and thought I'd give my thoughts on the headphones and how they compare to my current pair I was planning on upgrading (Sennhesier HD 600). Keep in mind these are all subjective thoughts, what may be a con for me can be a pro for you based on your preferences. I loaned a pair from The Cable Company, http://www.thecableco.com/Product/NEW-Headphone-Lending-Library.    The Pros.   Bass: The HE-500 has some of the best bass I have ever heard on any headphone and absolutely dominates the HD600. There is...

Build: Simply put it, the build quality of the Modi is 100% perfect. Made in the USA and it feels and weighs more than you would think for something so small and only $99.   Sound: The sound of the Modi is pretty transparent, it doesn't alter the frequency response very heavily. Using the Modi improves the technical areas of my headphones and speakers, like the detail and soundstage. One of the most noticeable difference versus onboard sound is the increased soundstage. Everything sounds a lot wider with my HD 600. A good example of this is the...

Am I the only one guy on Head-Fi that owns one of these? This amp is fantastic and a steal at $90. Here is the first ever review to be made.   Build Quality (5): All metal chassis and input/output jacks are all gold plated. Build quality is superb and this thing has been used for over two years, it still works 100% perfectly. Even after dropping it on concrete twice and on my hardwood floor twice it still holds up and only had light scratches from drops.   Features (5): You get five outputs all with the choice of 3.5mm or 6.5mm. You have XLR...

Here's my thoughts on the HD 600. During the review, I'll be throwing in the similarly priced HE-400 and the lower end HD 598 for comparison. Be warned, these are not direct comparisons. I have sold my HE-400 and HD 598, but still remember how they sounded on certain songs and if I don't feel comfortable about any statements towards them I simply won't post them.     Build Quality/Design/Comfort (3.75/5): These are really comfortable, they have a bit of clamping force but you will easily get used to them. They weighed a lot less then I expected and...