[lancelot123]

I currently have a Schiit Modi 2 Uber and a Magni 2 Uber. I should mention that I love Schiit products and would prefer to stay with them. The is for my computer. I do all my media consumption on it. Movies, TV, Music, as well as PC and console gaming.

I started with Sennheiser HD598 headphones. After a year or so I got HiFiMAN HE-350 from Massdrop. A few months after that I couldn't pass up getting the Massdrop Sennheiser HD 6XX Headphones. Been using those ever since. Haven't switched back the to others at all.

I'm looking to upgrade the DAC or Amp right now and then the other down the road. I'm just not sure which I should do first.

DAC:
Originally I was looking at upgrading the DAC to a Bifrost, but that was before the Modi Multibit or even Bifrost Multibit existed. So now I'm probably going to get the Modi Multibit instead of Bifrost Multibit. Just not sure the upgradeability is something I'm worried about. Gungnir Multibit is just too out of reach, unfortunately. I have toyed with the idea of going with standard Bifrost and upgrading it to Multibit down the road to have that upgradeability if I changed my mind and decided I wanted it. I can see the appeal since Gungnir Multibit will probably remain out of reach.

Amp:
For the Amp, I'm torn. The Vali seems like more of a side-grade. The plus side is that I would be able to experience a tube amp relatively cheaply for the first time. I was leaning towards Asgard, but the Valhalla is within my budget. The only concern with the Valhalla is if I'll like tubes. If I don't, will getting LISST tubes make it sound like an Asgard? If that happens though, I'm basically spending an extra $300 for no reason.

Which would you upgrade first? I was thinking DAC, but I'm not even sure why. Seems like the more important part, but I could be wrong. Are these even worthwhile upgrades? Would I be better off saving longer for Gungnir and Mjolnir even if it takes a long time?

Thanks for your time reading this and any advice you have to give.

 

[auvgeek]

Magni3 and Lyr3 are both getting lots of love these days.

Bifrost benefits from upgradeability, particularly Schiit's new USB implementation that's supposed to come out sometime next year, hopefully Q1. OTOH, Gungnir MB might be end-game for you, which I've personally found is cheaper in the long run than buying stuff, holding onto it for a year or two while I save, and then trying to sell it.

 

[audiofil]

As a general rule of thumb, amplifier upgrades provide more discernible sound improvements vs. DACs.
With 6xx in particular, I think that rule of thumb applies even more. They respond very well to better amplification, even out of budget sources.

An option that would satisfy both your needs (amp and DAC) in a reasonable budget, is the Jotunheim. The multibit DAC module is pretty good if you absolutely need a DAC upgrade.

Personally, I would go for the best amp I can afford for the 6xx and keep the Modi2.

I agree with @auvgeek - Gungnir multibit is worth saving for. As far as I'm concerned this is the only DAC worth having from Schiit. The sound improvement brought by Gungnir MB is quite noticeable compared to the Bifrost or Modi.
Can't say the same for Bifrost vs. Modi, as I've found the two just too close to warrant the price difference.

 

[PurpleAngel]

I would say to daisy chain a tube head amp off the Magni's line-output (RCA) jacks.
I daisy chain a Darkvoice 336SE OTL tube headphone amplifer, off my solid state head amp.

 

[auvgeek]

As a general rule of thumb, amplifier upgrades provide more discernible sound improvements vs. DACs.
With 6xx in particular, I think that rule of thumb applies even more. They respond very well to better amplification, even out of budget sources.

True BUT there's also the whole issue of "computer audio," which is separate from the DAC itself. An upgradeable DAC makes sense to me because IME USB implementations change the sound so much and are advancing so rapidly. I don't think amp design is advancing nearly as rapidly so you can buy something decent and be happy with it for years and years. But my perspective is focused on accurate reproductions of music one might hear live (guitars, vocals, string instruments, etc). To my ears, the sound out of a multibit DAC with a good USB implementation is just SO much more natural sounding than that from a delta-sigma DAC with a crummy USB implementation. I directly compared a Gungnir pre-MB to an old Theta DSPro Prime IIIa fed from the same (good) USB converter and the difference was astounding to me. Gungnir USB Gen 2 < Gungnir via AES from USB converter << Theta Prime IIIa via AES. That was like 3-4 years ago, but I think the concept still applies.

If you don't care as much about voices and instruments sounding as close as possible to how they sound in real life, then you have totally different needs to what I mentioned above so take my view with a grain of salt.

And I should also admit that I've never heard an HD6X0.

 

[lancelot123]

True BUT there's also the whole issue of "computer audio," which is separate from the DAC itself. An upgradeable DAC makes sense to me because IME USB implementations change the sound so much and are advancing so rapidly. I don't think amp design is advancing nearly as rapidly so you can buy something decent and be happy with it for years and years. But my perspective is focused on accurate reproductions of music one might hear live (guitars, vocals, string instruments, etc). To my ears, the sound out of a multibit DAC with a good USB implementation is just SO much more natural sounding than that from a delta-sigma DAC with a crummy USB implementation. I directly compared a Gungnir pre-MB to an old Theta DSPro Prime IIIa fed from the same (good) USB converter and the difference was astounding to me. Gungnir USB Gen 2 < Gungnir via AES from USB converter << Theta Prime IIIa via AES. That was like 3-4 years ago, but I think the concept still applies.

I'm using my Sound Blaster Zx's optical out to connect to the DAC. I like the Smart Volume and Dialog Plus for movies and TV shows. Makes some scenes so much more enjoyable. The card is worth it for that alone. For music, I either use WASAPI to bypass it or just turn it off since I don't want that adjusted. This set up works even better since I have my monitor's (40" 4K TV) optical out going into the Zx's optical in which allows me to hear everything plugged into the TV/monitor through the headphones, ie Bluray player, consoles, etc.

 

[auvgeek]

FWIW, in my experience, optical out of a sound card beats crummy USB implementation but doesn't hold a candle to good USB implementations.

 

[Randonneur]

The amp, easily. It'll make a far bigger difference than a DAC.

 

[legion1capone]

Agreed with what's said above. An amp will give you a much bigger difference than a DAC. DAC's do sound different to me, but it's such small differences unless your willing to make big jumps in price ranges its not really worth it.

My vote is Lyr 3.

 

[PointyFox]

If you want to pour more money into your setup just get higher-end headphones. If higher end DACs and amps will make a difference is arguable.

 

[HBen]

In your case I highly doubt upgrading the amp or dac to any of the ones you mentioned or what seems in your current budget will make much of an improvement (if any) since you're at a place with decent gear with very good price to performance ratio.

If you want a significant upgrade you need to make a reasonably big step up along the whole chain, which basically means spending at least 2000$ if not much more.
If I'd be you I'd just enjoy what I have and invest my cash in something else

Believe me when I say that there is no place where this saying is more true than in this hobby: Ignorance is bliss!