How can you have a Naim DAC-V1 and HD800s and use a Schiit Vali with it?????  Naim and HD800's is high-end stuff and you've obviously invested a lot of money in this only to crap it up with a cheap Schiit Vali?  It makes no sense to me...absolutely none.  Unless maybe you suddenly fell into...

Thanks so much for your impressions.  Really glad to hear about the PHA-2's low noise floor...super excited about adding a little energy to my W4's.  I guess I shouldn't really worry about how it'll handle my HD700's and 600's, since I'll mainly be using this on the go.  Also, good to hear that...

Zilch, I know you wish the PHA-2 had better power specs.  It wasn't made to drive high impedance headphones.  Sony knows their market and it doesn't include people who listen to LCD-2's or Sennheiser HD650's on the go.  It was made to pair with efficient headphones and IEM's.  I have HD700's...

As soon as you add DSD capability, you have to add even more battery capacity and the battery is already too big.  You can't have everything.  This is a portable player with hi-resolution DAC and a great built in audiophile grade digital headphone amplifier section.  It already takes up too much...

anyone here use the PHA-2 with IEM's?  I'm planning on using mine with Westone 4's.  Do y'all think they'll pair well?  Also gonna try out with some HD700's, although I don't think 150 ohm cans will be driven as well.  In the future, I may have to invest in a pair of XBA-H3's as I've heard they...

why do people go on appreciation threads and bash the subject of appreciation?

Just ordered one from a Japanese seller on amazon.  Picked expedited shipping and should get here next week!  Super stoked!  I'm planning on this being the centerpiece of my bedside iPod/iPad system.  Mainly for music but also for the occasional movie or tv show I want with great sound.  Will be...

Really getting excited about this amp/dac. Thinking about biting the bullet and buying from Japan. Anyone around here do this and can you share your experiences?

Really?  It sounded bad out of a 100 dollar Chinese amp? No way.  Seriously folks, why are you even pairing a 1k dollar headphone with this stuff.  Fiio products, while a bargain (I guess) for budding audiophiles on a budget, they should not been seen as anything more than that.  It would make...

I don't think that the Vali will give you an increase in sound quality, rather will degrade your sound. I think that hd700's really cry out for pure sources and amps. Skip the cheap Schiit, and hold out for something nice like a WooAudio tube amp or a Burson or Violectric solid state Class A.

I think most people believe that headphones and speakers need to be "burned-in" because they actually have moving parts/drivers that change over time.  Whereas there's more debate on Amps and DACs - electronics...which I also believe need to be burned in.  Not surprised at all of your findings...

Take the drivers out of them and mount them it tiny little wooden cabinets. You could then drive them with a nice little tube amp!

I wouldn't alter my recommendation st all. Sounds like you're a neutral kinda guy and I'm more of a euphonic audiophile kinda guy. I've never heard a "neutral" headphone or speaker that I didn't despise. For example, I love hd700s because they are far from neutral...it's what makes them exciting...

For a budget DAC, I would suggest Cambridge Audio DACmagic and Musical Fidelity V-DACII.  IMHO, these will beat anything under 500 bucks and they both have very smooth tubelike quality to them, especially the MF V-DACII....also heard the V90 is great and it's cheap.  For amp, I don't have much...

Well, it doesn't mention any audiophile headphones, let alone HD700's or anything relating to HD700's so....thanks?

As good of a deal the o2 may be as a budget amp, it is definitely not a high end amp. Not sure what you're thinking pairing a 1000 dollar headphone with a 130 dollar amp. JMHO.

Wait until you hear these headphones with a nice class A solid state or tube amp....you'll be blown away 

I've had first hand experience with a friend's HD800 headphones and I own HD700's, so I can chime in on this.  In a word:  Musicality.  I find the HD700's to have a more organic, spirited sound.  While I find the HD800's to have a somewhat cold and clinical approach to sound without much "soul"...

First of all, congratulations.  Secondly, what attributes did the K701 have that the Hd600's didn't.  Thirdly, I've always been curious about the Bryston.  What's it like and have you compared it to a Burson Soloist?  I'm imagining that the Bryston is super fast and neutral sounding.  Also...

Looks like somebody's a Classical music lover!  Nice set up...have always wondered what that Bryston sounds like.

Contratulations!  Still breaking mine in...maybe 100 hrs so far?     Yes, your sound blaster card is a weak link.  You should eventually get both a DAC and an Amp if you want to fully take advantage of the capabilities of the HD700 headphones.  If you think they sound good with a SoundBlaster...

First of all, congratulations on a truly awesome amp. Secondly, do not hook up the amp to your receiver, but rather hook your source up to your amp - cd/DVD/sacd/vinyl/dap directly to the Burson. Thirdly, simply use your ears to figure out what gain setting to use...whatever one sounds the best...

Sennheiser didn't make this cable for portable use. It seems like a very high quality cable, IMHO. It is silver plated wire that was especially designed for performance....I would think twice about downgrading.

Don't think I'm ever going to sell these babies.  I had listened to the HD800's, and while they resolved incredible amounts of detail, I thought they sounded a little too clinical and cold.  On the contrary, HD700's resolve almost as much detail, yet they have a more natural and organic...