[thyname]

About to try tubes amps. Before I pull the trigger on the Schiit Valhalla 2, is there anything else from other brands that I should consider instead? On that price range and up to $500+

Preferably able to handle HD 800 and with Balanced headphones jack

Thanks!

 

[Mr Rick]

About to try tubes amps. Before I pull the trigger on the Schiit Valhalla 2, is there anything else from other brands that I should consider instead? On that price range and up to $500+

Preferably able to handle HD 800 and with Balanced headphones jack

Thanks!

 
If you require balanced outputs and a tube topology you will need to look at the Schiit Mjolinr 2.

 

[thyname]

If you require balanced outputs and a tube topology you will need to look at the Schiit Mjolinr 2.

I looked at it, but quite expensive.

Also,

1 - Balanced is good to have but not necessarily a deal breaker

2 - my original inquiry was for other than Schiit tubes Amp. There must be something else out there, no?

 

[ProtegeManiac]

About to try tubes amps. Before I pull the trigger on the Schiit Valhalla 2, is there anything else from other brands that I should consider instead? On that price range and up to $500+

Preferably able to handle HD 800 and with Balanced headphones jack

 

Well, the Valhalla2 doesn't have balanced either, so if that's important the Valhalla2 is off your list.

 

Also AFAIK there aren't that many in that price range. Off the top of my head, there's the Little Dot Mk3 SE (which is a hybrid, kind of like a cheaper alternative to the Mjolnir), the Matrix HPA-3B, Aune X7S, and Ibasso PB3 Mockingjay. AFAIK, even the most powerful of these amps don't produce as much power as an OTL like the Valhalla2 at 300ohms, or at least not much more, and a properly designed OTL won't color the sound too much either (ie, the Valhalla2).

 

That said, the HD800 won't necessarily need that much power but just clean power, and the extra oomph of all these amps at 32ohms (note the X7S and PB3 are relatively lower in output still) is useful for when you try out lower impedance, lower sensitivity headphones, since OTL amps produce lower output levels at 32ohms.

You could of course save up a bit and get the Little Dot MkVI, which is an OTL dual mono balanced amp. Basically two OTL amps configured running in 2ch balanced drive.

 

[thyname]

Well, the Valhalla2 doesn't have balanced either, so if that's important the Valhalla2 is off your list.

Also AFAIK there aren't that many in that price range. Off the top of my head, there's the Little Dot Mk3 SE (which is a hybrid, kind of like a cheaper alternative to the Mjolnir), the Matrix HPA-3B, Aune X7S, and Ibasso PB3 Mockingjay. AFAIK, even the most powerful of these amps don't produce as much power as an OTL like the Valhalla2 at 300ohms, or at least not much more, and a properly designed OTL won't color the sound too much either (ie, the Valhalla2).

That said, the HD800 won't necessarily need that much power but just clean power, and the extra oomph of all these amps at 32ohms (note the X7S and PB3 are relatively lower in output still) is useful for when you try out lower impedance, lower sensitivity headphones, since OTL amps produce lower output levels at 32ohms.


You could of course save up a bit and get the Little Dot MkVI, which is an OTL dual mono balanced amp. Basically two OTL amps configured running in 2ch balanced drive.

Thanks for your reply. Very detailed and informative as always!

I will take a look at all the names you mentioned, although it seems like Valhalla 2 is the way to go for the price.

I have the Matrix HPA-3B. Excellent amp (for the price), but it is NOT tubes.

It seems like the OTL design (like Valhalla 2) is more capable of power at High impededance headphones (like HD 800 at 300 Ohms).

 

[ProtegeManiac]

I have the Matrix HPA-3B. Excellent amp (for the price), but it is NOT tubes.

 

Neither is the X7S, and the LD MkIII SE is a hybrid, but the requirement for tubes wasn't in your original post (which was the only one I was working with at the time I started typing, which I didn't finish quickly since I'm at work).
 

It seems like the OTL design (like Valhalla 2) is more capable of power at High impededance headphones (like HD 800 at 300 Ohms).

 

I'd much rather save up for the LD MkVI+ really if what you want is an OTL tube amp for high voltage output and balanced drive. Like I said, it's basically two LD Mk9's (or actually, since it's the newer one, the Mk9 is half a MkVI+) in a push-pull config, and you get 70v peak to peak out of it.

 

[thyname]

Neither is the X7S, and the LD MkIII SE is a hybrid, but the requirement for tubes wasn't in your original post (which was the only one I was working with at the time I started typing, which I didn't finish quickly since I'm at work).


I'd much rather save up for the LD MkVI+ really if what you want is an OTL tube amp for high voltage output and balanced drive. Like I said, it's basically two LD Mk9's (or actually, since it's the newer one, the Mk9 is half a MkVI+) in a push-pull config, and you get 70v peak to peak out of it.

With all due respect, I started my OP with "about to try tubes amps".

After doing some research, it does look like Little Dot MK VI may be a good choice, although over my price range.

This seems to rarely come out used on Classified here. It is also shipped from China, through their amateur looking "website ". I sent an email to David.

Thanks again!

 

[ProtegeManiac]

With all due respect, I started my OP with "about to try tubes amps".

 

My bad 

 Although note that one reason why balanced drive isn't as common with tube amps, particularly pure tube amps - whether OTL or transformer-coupled - is that it will require a heck of a lot of tubes per amp. Manufacturing can be difficult since they have to match the tubes, and then tube rollers have to do the same. And then when the tubes wear out, that's a heck of a lot of tubes.

 

If anything though there's the Mjolnir which is a hybrid, but of course if you're after very high voltage output, six tubes on the LD MkVI+ is about as few as you can go unless someone makes a similar amp using four tubes each with two channels in them (ie, 2 rectifier, 2 driver tubes).

 

[thyname]

David from Little Dot emailed me back. He suggested the MK VIII SE for my HD 800:
 
http://www.littledot.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=871&sid=5e0e9829eb6eb6764d66dc0915623bc6
 
Quite expensive...

 

[ProtegeManiac]

  David from Little Dot emailed me back. He suggested the MK VIII SE for my HD 800:
 
http://www.littledot.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=871&sid=5e0e9829eb6eb6764d66dc0915623bc6
 
Quite expensive...

 
Well if you want balanced and tube, and OTL, there's really no alternative. You can try hybrid balanced like the LD MkIII SE and Mjolnir.

 

[thyname]

Update (OP here):

Ended up buying Mjolnir 2 used from a fellow Head-Fi'er.

Thanks all for your help.

Can't wait until it arrives.