[Rawrbington]

Quote:

Haven't used it long enough this way to notice any sound compression, but will be on the look out for it now. I do like the set up this way.

 
I hooked it up using the tape loop just now.  Might be placebo or conf bias or whatever its called.  It just sounds SLIGHTLY less dynamic.  which is one of the wa2's strong suits i always thought.  Sounds like i loose a tiny bit of detail and space in the lower frequencies as well.  but it could very well all be in my head.
 
i don't know enough about the circuitry of the marantz 2270 to know what all the tape loop runs through before being spit out.

 

[Silent One]

Quote:

Quote:

Haven't used it long enough this way to notice any sound compression, but will be on the look out for it now. I do like the set up this way.

 
I hooked it up using the tape loop just now.  Might be placebo or conf bias or whatever its called.  It just sounds SLIGHTLY less dynamic.  which is one of the wa2's strong suits i always thought.  Sounds like i loose a tiny bit of detail and space in the lower frequencies as well.  but it could very well all be in my head.
 
i don't know enough about the circuitry of the marantz 2270 to know what all the tape loop runs through before being spit out.

 
No placebo over here in this room. I experienced as much with the Pioneer SX-650 and found things took a small step back in performance, when using my OTL amp looped through the Tape Input/Output. Same result with the much bigger sibling, the SX-D7000.
 
The SX-D7000, however, has a dedicated Preamp Out/Amp In section and is an improvement when using the OTL amp as Pre. I have since extracted a lil' more sweetness by using the SX-D7000 as Pre for the OTL amp. 
 
I don't expect this arrangement to always be the case inside the room. Rather, it speaks to the current pieces I've got now.

 

[roadcykler]

Looking for some help here. I'm in the market for either a new Schiit Asgard or Lyr, but I am also contemplating a few Sansui amps/receivers. A guy in my area is selling a lot of different ones, all in great condition and I'm interested in a few but would like some input on them compared to the Schiit amps. The Sansuis I'm interested in are the 8080db ($325), Eight w/relay output ($225, and Eight Deluxe ($275) and maybe a couple of integrateds like the AU 999 or AU 719.
My headphones are the HiFiMan HE-500s and my Bottlehead Crack just isn't up to the task so any/all constructive input is welcome. Thanks.

 

[wotts]

I've only heard the Asgard once and never the Lyr. I have a Valhalla and I absolutely love it. However, I have two vintage receivers, Pioneer SX-1250 and Marantz 2265B, and I think they both sound a little better than the Valhalla. I will add I've not heard the HE-500 either. I do have the HE-6 and it sounds very good excellent from the headphone out on either receiver. For the price, they are hard to beat.
 
If you search this thread for the 8080db, I think there were a few folks who had one. My bet is it would sound pretty good. I'd at least setup an audition for one of the units and take the can and a source along. I did that when I bought the SX-1250.

 

[wualta]

Just a quick note to thank SkyLab and BmWr75 for stepping in and answering the DeoxIT question. I think we can say that as a rule of thumb, it's never a good idea to spray anything, even compressed air, liberally (which I take to mean randomly and in great quantities) around the inside of one of these old receivers. Always precisely target the surfaces you need to clean/protect and use the minimum amount it takes to do the job, then exercise the control in question many times. And maybe it goes without saying that you should always make sure the unit is unplugged, not just turned off, before you stick anything inside. This is especially true if it's your first attempt at this. Safety first.

 

[Skylab]

I have had both a Sansui 9090 and a 9090DB, and both sounded very good with headphones. I'm sure the 8080, if in good working order, would as well. I've not heard any of the others you are looking at.

BTW the Lyr is an excellent headphone amp, to be sure. You should think not just about the sound, but about the whole package. Do ou like the vintage look? Do you have the space for one of these behemoths? Will the FM tuner, phono stage, and speaker drive capability be useful? Etc etc.

I'm still using pretty much exclusively vintage amps/receivers to drive my headphones, and very happy about it, but those systems all also have speakers connected to them.

 

[weverb]

Vintage gear is also good for driving outdoor speakers too. It's great to listen to your tunes while outside for parties or chores.
 

 

[Rawrbington]

I've got an 8080.  Its a solid unit.  Should power the headphones fine.  But i'd go take a look and take the HE500's with you.  I'd think he would be fine with letting you audition with your haedphones.
 
and check the AU's also.  Ive only heard the AU919 and AU 717 with speakers and  they are very fast and detailed sounding amps. 

 

[Pudu]

I hooked it up using the tape loop just now.  Might be placebo or conf bias or whatever its called.  It just sounds SLIGHTLY less dynamic.  which is one of the wa2's strong suits i always thought.  Sounds like i loose a tiny bit of detail and space in the lower frequencies as well.  but it could very well all be in my head.

i don't know enough about the circuitry of the marantz 2270 to know what all the tape loop runs through before being spit out.

Yep, after a little critical listening I am forced to concur, something is lost.

So what's a lad to do? DAC with multiple outputs, multiple DACs? Sigh.

 

[ardgedee]

Get an in-line switchbox. A few options were discussed about a dozen pages upthread. (My unit of choice is the Adcom SLC-505 passive preamp, wired backwards and with the volume and balance bypassed).

 

[Pudu]

(flips pages madly backwards)

Cheers

 

[Lee Harvey]

Quote:

I've only heard the Asgard once and never the Lyr. I have a Valhalla and I absolutely love it. However, I have two vintage receivers, Pioneer SX-1250 and Marantz 2265B, and I think they both sound a little better than the Valhalla. I will add I've not heard the HE-500 either. I do have the HE-6 and it sounds very good excellent from the headphone out on either receiver. For the price, they are hard to beat.
 
If you search this thread for the 8080db, I think there were a few folks who had one. My bet is it would sound pretty good. I'd at least setup an audition for one of the units and take the can and a source along. I did that when I bought the SX-1250.

 
I have owned a Lyr for the past year.  I have bought no less than 8 sets of tubes for it and have gone through all of that tube-rolling insanity.  I was able to listen to the Asgard, Mjolnir/Gungnir combo and the Valhalla at CanJam this year.  I feel that the Valhalla is the best sounding amp that Schiit makes.  But I agree with you that using a vintage Pioneer or Marantz receiver sounds better than the Valhalla and their other amps.  Another big plus for using a vintage receiver is the addtional inputs, speaker outputs and that they look So Much Cooler than the current crop of headphone amps out there!

 

[wualta]

Quote:

Get an in-line switchbox. 

Good suggestion. It's also possible that if the several contacts which the signal in the tape loop traverses were cleaned, this "compression" would go away.

 

[GSARider]

Looking to get a Technics SA600 hopefully, having never hooked one up to my mac before, can you chaps advise as to which cables I will need to get the best sound?

I have an E17 / E09K at present.

 

[Rawrbington]

Got some LCD2's.  And they sound better out of my vintage receivers than my WA2.  I had read that this was probable.  No big deal.  They sound fantastic. 
 
So I have a question for those of you with experience with a lot of new good heaphone amps.  How much better do they sound than a solid vintage receiver?  Im wondering if it would be worth the time, effort and possible money, to sell my WA2 and move on to something else.  Possibly a WA6SE or Vioelectric, Schiit Lyr or whatever.
 
As of right now they sound great out of my 2270 and my 8080 and I haven't even tried the KR9050 yet.  But just seem a bit dull out of the WA2.  Perhaps just the lack of voltage at that low z.