[cspersel]

My plan is to listen to them with the Mojo and see how I want to alter/color the sound, them pick an amp.

Lyr 3, Liquid Platinum, and Woo WA3 are all on my list (with others). Woo WA2 sounds amazing, but not sure I want to spend more on the amp than the cans.

And yea I asked Zach Valhalla vs Lyr and that was his response.

All three of those are great amps. I listened extensively to the Lyr3, but in the end went with the Mjolnir 2 and Jotunheim as my two amps.

Interesting response from Zach. I live near the Schiiter store, so am going to take my Atticus there to try out on the Valhalla and Lyr.

 

[Wheel Hoss]

^^^^^

What is your favorite pairing for the Atticus?

 

[cspersel]

^^^^^

What is your favorite pairing for the Atticus?

I've only tried the Atticus with 4 amp/dac combos. I demoed them with a Feliks tube amp w/PS Audio DAC. The pairing was excellent (but expensive). The Atticus doesn't pair that well with either my Schiit Mojlnir 2 w/Gungnir DAC or Schiit Jotunheim w/multi-bit DAC. OK .. but not as good as the Feliks w/PS Audio. Surprisingly, the Atticus sounds very good with my $199 DragonFly Red. Tight, controlled bass, excellent resolution and very dynamic. Because it's so good with the DragonFly it leads me to believe it will be very good with the Mojo.

 

[JNKM]

I have both the Valhalla 2 and the Lyr 3, and I can say that they're both great amps for driving my Atticus! My two cents: it really depends on your sound preference, since they both present sound slightly differently.

What is most obvious to me is that the Lyr 3 I find has better extension at the top end, which gives it a greater sense of clarity, air, and definition. For example, on piano tracks, you're more likely to hear the overtones of notes in the upper registers, whereas on the Valhalla 2, which is slightly more rolled off in the treble, you get much more of the fundamentals of the keys being struck. This might be important for you if you think the Atticus can be dark.

The next big difference I hear is in the bass. The Lyr 3 has much tighter, more defined bass (I guess due to its hybrid nature), whereas the Valhalla 2 is looser and relatively more one-note. For a headphone like the Atticus, which already has great bass, I feel like the Lyr 3 provides the more satisfying experience. The bass experience on the Valhalla 2 is by no means unsatisfactory, but I feel like the Lyr 3 lets the Atticus be itself a bit more in this department.

The two amps do soundstage and imaging a bit differently as well. On the Lyr 3, with the stock Tung-Sol tube (which is a great pairing), the images are just huge (think giant concert hall) and very tall -- towering, almost. I mention the tube since other tubes I've rolled don't always give this sense of size. So whereas I get a palpable sense of verticality and size on Lyr 3, I get a more horizontality with the Valhalla 2. I think the Valhalla 2 spaces out the sound a bit better, so you get a wider experience overall, although it feels like the images inhabit a much more level horizontal plane that is spread out over a wider though just as cohesive of a stage. The size of the images are also not as large as they are on the Lyr 3, but there is also something so nuanced and subtle about the Valhalla 2 that it's difficult to say one is better than the other but rather a matter of difference and taste.

There might be other differences, but these are the ones I've noticed most while I've owned both amps. As for what I prefer, I find myself listening to the Atticus through Lyr 3 and saving the Valhalla 2 (and my Vali 1) for my HD800 and HD650. I've always thought of the Atticus as a fun, romantic, exciting, and bombastic headphone first and foremost, though one that is capable of tremendous nuance, resolution, and sensitivity. Because of this, I feel that the Lyr 3 allows it to simply "be itself" more than the Valhalla 2, which mellows it out a bit more for those super-long, extremely fatigue-free listening sessions. So again -- you really can't go wrong with either one, but they are different!

 

[Velozity]

Status of my Atticus just changed from “Pending” to “Assembly and QC”

Sue me if I feel like a kid creeping up on Christmas

Finally some updates on the list! I ordered in late Feb and it's been saying "Pending" ever since. In the words of Veruca Salt "I WANT IT NOW!" I was all set to sell my Audiotailor amp in favor of my awesome WA6-SE, but that's based on listening with the Beyer DT-250. The Eikon may make a convincing case for me to hang onto the rare OTL beauty.

 

[cspersel]

I have both the Valhalla 2 and the Lyr 3, and I can say that they're both great amps for driving my Atticus! My two cents: it really depends on your sound preference, since they both present sound slightly differently.

What is most obvious to me is that the Lyr 3 I find has better extension at the top end, which gives it a greater sense of clarity, air, and definition. For example, on piano tracks, you're more likely to hear the overtones of notes in the upper registers, whereas on the Valhalla 2, which is slightly more rolled off in the treble, you get much more of the fundamentals of the keys being struck. This might be important for you if you think the Atticus can be dark.

The next big difference I hear is in the bass. The Lyr 3 has much tighter, more defined bass (I guess due to its hybrid nature), whereas the Valhalla 2 is looser and relatively more one-note. For a headphone like the Atticus, which already has great bass, I feel like the Lyr 3 provides the more satisfying experience. The bass experience on the Valhalla 2 is by no means unsatisfactory, but I feel like the Lyr 3 lets the Atticus be itself a bit more in this department.

The two amps do soundstage and imaging a bit differently as well. On the Lyr 3, with the stock Tung-Sol tube (which is a great pairing), the images are just huge (think giant concert hall) and very tall -- towering, almost. I mention the tube since other tubes I've rolled don't always give this sense of size. So whereas I get a palpable sense of verticality and size on Lyr 3, I get a more horizontality with the Valhalla 2. I think the Valhalla 2 spaces out the sound a bit better, so you get a wider experience overall, although it feels like the images inhabit a much more level horizontal plane that is spread out over a wider though just as cohesive of a stage. The size of the images are also not as large as they are on the Lyr 3, but there is also something so nuanced and subtle about the Valhalla 2 that it's difficult to say one is better than the other but rather a matter of difference and taste.

There might be other differences, but these are the ones I've noticed most while I've owned both amps. As for what I prefer, I find myself listening to the Atticus through Lyr 3 and saving the Valhalla 2 (and my Vali 1) for my HD800 and HD650. I've always thought of the Atticus as a fun, romantic, exciting, and bombastic headphone first and foremost, though one that is capable of tremendous nuance, resolution, and sensitivity. Because of this, I feel that the Lyr 3 allows it to simply "be itself" more than the Valhalla 2, which mellows it out a bit more for those super-long, extremely fatigue-free listening sessions. So again -- you really can't go wrong with either one, but they are different!

Nice analysis. When I get over to the Schiiter store I'll try both the Lyr and Valhalla. I do understand what you are saying. My Mojnir 2 and Jotunheim are not as "tight" and resolving as the DragonFly with the Atticus. That said ... I can listen to the Atticus longer on the two Schiit amps than with the DragonFly. They are more relaxed and "horizontal" as you say whereas the DragonFly/Atticus is up in your grill ... so to speak. Lots of fun, but more fatiguing.

 

[JNKM]

Nice analysis. When I get over to the Schiiter store I'll try both the Lyr and Valhalla. I do understand what you are saying. My Mojnir 2 and Jotunheim are not as "tight" and resolving as the DragonFly with the Atticus. That said ... I can listen to the Atticus longer on the two Schiit amps than with the DragonFly. They are more relaxed and "horizontal" as you say whereas the DragonFly/Atticus is up in your grill ... so to speak. Lots of fun, but more fatiguing.

Thanks, I’m very much looking forward to hearing your impressions and comparisons from the Schiitr (especially to the Mjolnir 2, which I’ve never heard)!

 

[cspersel]

Thanks, I’m very much looking forward to hearing your impressions and comparisons from the Schiitr (especially to the Mjolnir 2, which I’ve never heard)!

I own the Mojlnir 2 which I bought at the Schiiter store. It's a great amp, but doesn't pair best with the Atticus. The bass is a little too loose and I think it's more "dark" signature veils the fun, dynamic nature of the Atticus a bit too much. That said .. it does make the Atticus easier to listen to for longer periods.

 

[erics75]

^^^^^

What is your favorite pairing for the Atticus?

the amps i've heard that sound great with the Atticus (all my personal opinion based on my own tastes, yours will vary):
Violectric V100 (which sound identical to the Lake People G109, and RS series, so all those would be options)
Violectric V280 via balanced output only. single ended is a bit too smooth and warm for my tastes
Lake People RS-08 (a V100 on steriods, same sound signature, more dynamic range and driver control, imo THE best amp for the atticus i've heard, and i regret selling it to this day, and i will be buying another)
Arcam Rhead
Gilmore Lite MK2
Auralic Taurus MK2
Bryston BHA-1
Ragnarok
The above group just sounds good. i wont add individual notes as they'll all say the same basic thing: instantly engaging, but not fatiguing. endless dynamic range and driver control. excellent synergy. you cannot go wrong here (for my tastes!)

Good but not great (synergy and personal tastes heavy at play here. for some, these could go in the top group):
Jotunheim via balanced output. it's pretty good overall, very dynamic and lively, but the treble glare i was hearing from my jotunheim was eventually a deal breaker for me. i had a very early jot, and i've read there was a silent revision to the amp which smoothed things out a bit, but i have no firsthand experience on that, sorry.
Violectric V280 via single ended output. this is essentially a V200 if using the SE output, and i found it to be just too smooth and warm for the atticus. it just didnt wow me like the v100 did.
RNHP was good but lacked headroom and high volume grunt. as the volume went up, the sound got a bit ragged and sloppy. i think the amp was hitting it's output limits, and distorting. at low/medium volume very nice sounding though. i'm a loud listener so it didnt work out for me here, but if you're not trying to kill your eardrums, it would work just fine.
Mjolnir 2 various tubes this is my buddies and i've logged hundreds of hours on it. my thoughts on the V280 single ended apply here. it was just a bit too polite compared to other amps i've heard.
Woo WA3 various tubes this one was tough. it's my buddies and all his tubes are of the traditional/syrupy type (per his assessment, he knows tubes way better than i do). this thing was very warm, like the V280 single ended, but more engaging. i almost put it in the top group, but i could only do this pairing for short bursts as it eventually sounded too warm and overwhelming. but at first listen i was quite impressed. this one has me so curious with neutral tubes that i'm on a mission to grab a used one on the cheap

Not good (remember, just my opinions!)
Lyr 3 new production TS tube just too boring overall. it was nice and neutral, and very clean sounding, but lacked dynamic range. i was underwhelmed.
Asgard 2 not bad, but like the Lyr 3, it was ho hum. i felt bored by the pairing. more treble hardness than the lyr 3
Grace m9xx i sound like a broken record, but much ho humming here too. the grace dac is great, but the amp section just wasnt pushing the atticus well enough for me. dynamics were lacking, and i was bored.
Dragonfly Red lacked headroom and dynamic range. not surprising given it's modest power output. it had plenty of volume, but had issues with driver control. bass got boomy, and treble had a slight glare
Fulla Schiit 2 my notes on the DFR apply here, just doesnt have the power, sounded dynamically limited
Magni 3 a return of the ho hums! plenty of power, but plenty boring. it actually sounded much like the lyr 3 to me, but less refined. same tonality and timbre though, with a bit more metallic-ness up top.

i've heard a few others in short bursts, but all the amps above i've logged at least a few hours with, with my atticus.

 

[cspersel]

the amps i've heard that sound great with the Atticus (all my personal opinion based on my own tastes, yours will vary):
Violectric V100 (which sound identical to the Lake People G109, and RS series, so all those would be options)
Violectric V280 via balanced output only. single ended is a bit too smooth and warm for my tastes
Lake People RS-08 (a V100 on steriods, same sound signature, more dynamic range and driver control, imo THE best amp for the atticus i've heard, and i regret selling it to this day, and i will be buying another)
Arcam Rhead
Gilmore Lite MK2
Auralic Taurus MK2
Bryston BHA-1
Ragnarok
The above group just sounds good. i wont add individual notes as they'll all say the same basic thing: instantly engaging, but not fatiguing. endless dynamic range and driver control. excellent synergy. you cannot go wrong here (for my tastes!)

Good but not great (synergy and personal tastes heavy at play here. for some, these could go in the top group):
Jotunheim via balanced output. it's pretty good overall, very dynamic and lively, but the treble glare i was hearing from my jotunheim was eventually a deal breaker for me. i had a very early jot, and i've read there was a silent revision to the amp which smoothed things out a bit, but i have no firsthand experience on that, sorry.
Violectric V280 via single ended output. this is essentially a V200 if using the SE output, and i found it to be just too smooth and warm for the atticus. it just didnt wow me like the v100 did.
RNHP was good but lacked headroom and high volume grunt. as the volume went up, the sound got a bit ragged and sloppy. i think the amp was hitting it's output limits, and distorting. at low/medium volume very nice sounding though. i'm a loud listener so it didnt work out for me here, but if you're not trying to kill your eardrums, it would work just fine.
Mjolnir 2 various tubes this is my buddies and i've logged hundreds of hours on it. my thoughts on the V280 single ended apply here. it was just a bit too polite compared to other amps i've heard.
Woo WA3 various tubes this one was tough. it's my buddies and all his tubes are of the traditional/syrupy type (per his assessment, he knows tubes way better than i do). this thing was very warm, like the V280 single ended, but more engaging. i almost put it in the top group, but i could only do this pairing for short bursts as it eventually sounded too warm and overwhelming. but at first listen i was quite impressed. this one has me so curious with neutral tubes that i'm on a mission to grab a used one on the cheap

Not good (remember, just my opinions!)
Lyr 3 new production TS tube just too boring overall. it was nice and neutral, and very clean sounding, but lacked dynamic range. i was underwhelmed.
Asgard 2 not bad, but like the Lyr 3, it was ho hum. i felt bored by the pairing. more treble hardness than the lyr 3
Grace m9xx i sound like a broken record, but much ho humming here too. the grace dac is great, but the amp section just wasnt pushing the atticus well enough for me. dynamics were lacking, and i was bored.
Dragonfly Red lacked headroom and dynamic range. not surprising given it's modest power output. it had plenty of volume, but had issues with driver control. bass got boomy, and treble had a slight glare
Fulla Schiit 2 my notes on the DFR apply here, just doesnt have the power, sounded dynamically limited
Magni 3 a return of the ho hums! plenty of power, but plenty boring. it actually sounded much like the lyr 3 to me, but less refined. same tonality and timbre though, with a bit more metallic-ness up top.

i've heard a few others in short bursts, but all the amps above i've logged at least a few hours with, with my atticus.

Excellent, detailed summary that is very helpful. I only bought my Atticus 2 weeks ago, so am still in that process of finding the best amp for pairing.

I am in agreement about Mojlnir 2 assessment. It's my main headphone amp, so I've logged a number of hours on it with the Atticus. Not bad, but with stock tubes it's a bit too warm and lacks some clarity and resolve. A bit loose and muddy, but ... that also makes it less fatiguing for long listens. The XLR balanced cables helped, but still not taking the Atticus to its full potential. I'm going to order some brighter tubes (Electro-Harmonix 6922) to see if it helps rectify some of the stock tube issues. Won't know until I try.

Same conclusion with you about the Jotunheim. It's my desktop amp, and again, not bad, but not great. I need to do some longer sessions to get a full idea.

I was most impressed the DragonFly Red pairing. Much tighter and resolving than the two Schiit amps. I was also surprised that it had adequate power. I also agree that the treble was a bit glaring and fatiguing.

I'll also throw in that I demoed the Atticus with a Feliks tube amp and PS Audio DAC that sounded great. A very good pairing.

** Note (for what it's worth): My Focal Elegia closed-back headphones sound great with all of my amps. The Atticus appears to be much more picky.

 

[erics75]

Excellent, detailed summary that is very helpful. I only bought my Atticus 2 weeks ago, so am still in that process of finding the best amp for pairing.

I am in agreement about Mojlnir 2 assessment. It's my main headphone amp, so I've logged a number of hours on it with the Atticus. Not bad, but with stock tubes it's a bit too warm and lacks some clarity and resolve. A bit loose and muddy, but ... that also makes it less fatiguing for long listens. The XLR balanced cables helped, but still not taking the Atticus to its full potential. I'm going to order some brighter tubes (Electro-Harmonix 6922) to see if it helps rectify some of the stock tube issues. Won't know until I try.

Same conclusion with you about the Jotunheim. It's my desktop amp, and again, not bad, but not great. I need to do some longer sessions to get a full idea.

I was most impressed the DragonFly Red pairing. Much tighter and resolving than the two Schiit amps. I was also surprised that it had adequate power. I also agree that the treble was a bit glaring and fatiguing.

I'll also throw in that I demoed the Atticus with a Feliks tube amp and PS Audio DAC that sounded great. A very good pairing.

** Note (for what it's worth): My Focal Elegia closed-back headphones sound great with all of my amps. The Atticus appears to be much more picky.

i've heard great things about the Feliks and have always wanted to get an extended demo. have you heard the woo wa3? if so, any comparisons?

yes, the Atticus is a B to amp, from a synergy perspective. once you get it right though, it's tough to beat. i'll have to spend more time on the DFR, i've heard quite a few people say they didnt think it was lacking in power on the Atticus/Eikon. my old Ether C was like your Elegia, sounds like, in that it wasnt nearly as amp picky as the Atticus. i could plug it into just about anything and be happy. once the Atticus arrived i suddenly had to revamp my entire system to suite it. i think Zach does that to torture us all....

 

[cspersel]

i've heard great things about the Feliks and have always wanted to get an extended demo. have you heard the woo wa3? if so, any comparisons?

yes, the Atticus is a B to amp, from a synergy perspective. once you get it right though, it's tough to beat. i'll have to spend more time on the DFR, i've heard quite a few people say they didnt think it was lacking in power on the Atticus/Eikon. my old Ether C was like your Elegia, sounds like, in that it wasnt nearly as amp picky as the Atticus. i could plug it into just about anything and be happy. once the Atticus arrived i suddenly had to revamp my entire system to suite it. i think Zach does that to torture us all....

I have not yet heard the Woo Wa3. I live close to a dealer who carries all the Woo amps, so have it in my planner to demo them soon. I did see them, however, at the same dealer about a month ago and they are quite impressive looking.

I am also beginning to think Zach is torturing us. I haven't run across headphones with such amp synergy issues. Hopefully, I'll hit on something before my money runs out.

 

[erics75]

I have not yet heard the Woo Wa3. I live close to a dealer who carries all the Woo amps, so have it in my planner to demo them soon. I did see them, however, at the same dealer about a month ago and they are quite impressive looking.

I am also beginning to think Zach is torturing us. I haven't run across headphones with such amp synergy issues. Hopefully, I'll hit on something before my money runs out.

His true vileness shines when owning multiple ZMF's. i had an Eikon for awhile with my Atticus, and they liked the opposite amps! so to hear them at their best i'd have to swap amps constantly. for awhile i ran a splitter from my dac to the V100 (for Atticus) and Vali 2 (for Eikon). for 3 wonderful months i got to babysit my buddy's mjolnir 2 while he was traveling, and swapped out the Vali 2 for it. the Eikon liked the M2 quite a bit. everyone laughed at my work desk, it was piled with headphone equipment haha. thankfully my current job is as relaxed as can be, so i can do more or less what i want, equipment-wise. i even listen to open headphones at work as i'm in my own office now, and everyone listens to computer speakers all day, so no one cares about noise pollution

 

[cspersel]

His true vileness shines when owning multiple ZMF's. i had an Eikon for awhile with my Atticus, and they liked the opposite amps! so to hear them at their best i'd have to swap amps constantly. for awhile i ran a splitter from my dac to the V100 (for Atticus) and Vali 2 (for Eikon). for 3 wonderful months i got to babysit my buddy's mjolnir 2 while he was traveling, and swapped out the Vali 2 for it. the Eikon liked the M2 quite a bit. everyone laughed at my work desk, it was piled with headphone equipment haha. thankfully my current job is as relaxed as can be, so i can do more or less what i want, equipment-wise. i even listen to open headphones at work as i'm in my own office now, and everyone listens to computer speakers all day, so no one cares about noise pollution

Truly sadistic if all his headphones require different amps. I'm kinda bummed hearing that the Eikons would probably have been better with my Mojlnir 2 amp that the Atticus. I was going back and forth between the Eikon and Atticus until finally opting for the latter because they sounded so good with the Feliks amp and PS Audio DAC. That's the difficulty with demoing on anything other than your own rig. I'll try a few other tweaks (e.g. different tubes, etc.) but if I can't dial them in properly then I might put them up for sale and move on to something else. I've got my eyes on the Meze Empyrean.

 

[erics75]

Truly sadistic if all his headphones require different amps. I'm kinda bummed hearing that the Eikons would probably have been better with my Mojlnir 2 amp that the Atticus. I was going back and forth between the Eikon and Atticus until finally opting for the latter because they sounded so good with the Feliks amp and PS Audio DAC. That's the difficulty with demoing on anything other than your own rig. I'll try a few other tweaks (e.g. different tubes, etc.) but if I can't dial them in properly then I might put them up for sale and move on to something else. I've got my eyes on the Meze Empyrean.

i'd hate to see you sell it before you hear it with a good amp. hopefully you get a chance to try it on some new amps.