[regaet]

Do you like the Elear with the Valhalla 2 ?
As Valhalla 2 is marketed as driving high impedance cans (150+)

I love it, especially since I upgraded to the Bifrost 2 and Brimar 4033 tubes from tubemongers. The Elears are quite efficient and an easy load to drive. I think my Symphones Grado clones sound great also and they're 32 Ohm. With the 4033s and adaptors it takes the Valhalla to a new level and it was already no slouch with different tubes, especially for the price. Read the posts on the Valhalla tube rolling thread pages 95 - 98 ( thank you Wes S!). The Elears have improved with every upgrade I've made! Listening to Dominque Fils-Aime' sing Birds right now ... stunning at times!

 

[HTSkywalker]

I love it, especially since I upgraded to the Bifrost 2 and Brimar 4033 tubes from tubemongers. The Elears are quite efficient and an easy load to drive. I think my Symphones Grado clones sound great also and they're 32 Ohm. With the 4033s and adaptors it takes the Valhalla to a new level and it was already no slouch with different tubes, especially for the price. Read the posts on the Valhalla tube rolling thread pages 95 - 98 ( thank you Wes S!). The Elears have improved with every upgrade I've made! Listening to Dominque Fils-Aime' sing Birds right now ... stunning at times!

Think is that Schiit people didn't recommend it for the Elear while answering a direct technical question but am glad you're happy with the result.

 

[Billheiser]

Do you like the Elear with the Valhalla 2 ?
As Valhalla 2 is marketed as driving high impedance cans (150+)

Elear/Valhalla 2 a very good combo IMO. The Schiit website says:
"Go ahead. Do things with Valhalla 2 that you’d never attempt with other OTL tube amps. Run low-impedance headphones. Use IEMs. Valhalla 2 is a complete re-imagining of Valhalla, with improved performance, higher output capability, lower distortion and output impedance."

And:

"While most tube OTL amps are really only designed for 300 ohm Senns and 600 ohm Beyers, Valhalla 2 stretches to include headphones that you’d never expect to use with a tube amp. Many people use Valhalla 2 with sensitive, lower-impedance headphones as well."

And:

"Valhalla 2 also adds two important features: preamp outs and a gain switch. Preamp outs let you connect your powered monitors directly to Valhalla 2, to give them some of what some people call “tube magic.” The gain switch gives you better control of both output level and impedance, for better matching to your headphones."

 

[HTSkywalker]

Elear/Valhalla 2 a very good combo IMO. The Schiit website says:
"Go ahead. Do things with Valhalla 2 that you’d never attempt with other OTL tube amps. Run low-impedance headphones. Use IEMs. Valhalla 2 is a complete re-imagining of Valhalla, with improved performance, higher output capability, lower distortion and output impedance."

And:

"While most tube OTL amps are really only designed for 300 ohm Senns and 600 ohm Beyers, Valhalla 2 stretches to include headphones that you’d never expect to use with a tube amp. Many people use Valhalla 2 with sensitive, lower-impedance headphones as well."

And:

"Valhalla 2 also adds two important features: preamp outs and a gain switch. Preamp outs let you connect your powered monitors directly to Valhalla 2, to give them some of what some people call “tube magic.” The gain switch gives you better control of both output level and impedance, for better matching to your headphones."

Quoted from Schiit R&D team:
"With those headphones, the Vali 2 would be a better match than Valhalla 2. Valhalla 2 works better with higher impedance headphones (250 ohm -600 ohm)"
But if it's your cup of tea and you are satisfied then why not

 

[regaet]

Quoted from Schiit R&D team:
"With those headphones, the Vali 2 would be a better match than Valhalla 2. Valhalla 2 works better with higher impedance headphones (250 ohm -600 ohm)"
But if it's your cup of tea and you are satisfied then why not

I had a Vali 2 before I upgraded to the Valhalla 2. It is a definite upgrade and with the right tubes there is no comparison in sound quality. With a sensitivity rating of 104dB SPL / 1mW @ 1kHz I for the Elear, guess it depends on how loud you want to listen to your music.

 

[trufunk]

wrong thread

 

[HTSkywalker]

I had a Vali 2 before I upgraded to the Valhalla 2. It is a definite upgrade and with the right tubes there is no comparison in sound quality. With a sensitivity rating of 104dB SPL / 1mW @ 1kHz I for the Elear, guess it depends on how loud you want to listen to your music.

So you're saying the Valhalla II cannot drive the Elear to its maximum potential ? or is it loud enough for your liking.

 

[Sonic Defender]

So you're saying the Valhalla II cannot drive the Elear to its maximum potential ? or is it loud enough for your liking.

Edit, ignore. Now I'm not sure either. Just reread the post and it seems your question is spot on.

 

[regaet]

So you're saying the Valhalla II cannot drive the Elear to its maximum potential ? or is it loud enough for your liking.

I'm saying it's more than loud enough for me. With a sensitivity rating of 104dB SPL / 1mW the 180mW at 50 Ohms, the Valhalla has more than enough power to drive the 80-Ohm Elears louder than I listen to. With the way the Valhalla is built, I would bet it will handle peaks much higher than the 180mW. More importantly with the right tubes, the sound quality of that power is very impressive, especially for the price of the Valhalla. Read Post #1,604 in the Valhalla Tube Rolling thread which addresses the Clear which are 55-Ohm.

 

[HTSkywalker]

I'm saying it's more than loud enough for me. With a sensitivity rating of 104dB SPL / 1mW the 180mW at 50 Ohms, the Valhalla has more than enough power to drive the 80-Ohm Elears louder than I listen to. With the way the Valhalla is built, I would bet it will handle peaks much higher than the 180mW. More importantly with the right tubes, the sound quality of that power is very impressive, especially for the price of the Valhalla. Read Post #1,604 in the Valhalla Tube Rolling thread which addresses the Clear which are 55-Ohm.

Well I will take your words for it, I was considering the Valhalla II till Schiit tech advise me otherwise for the Elear and I somehow trust manufacturer's advises as they normally want to sell, But again YMMV situation and am glad you like it

 

[lmf22]

RIP... my Elear's headband broke today. It still stays on my head if I don't move, but there's zero clamping force.
Does anyone know how long the warranty is and whether the headband is covered? (I bought it from Headphones.com on May 2019).

Could this be a sign to upgrade? I was planning to get the Clear Mg next year, so maybe I can move that schedule up.

 

[jj69]

Warranty is definitely still good. I think its 4 years. Service is difficult to contact and a bit slow, but they will fix it eventually.

Be forewarned: I sent my sqeaking, rattling Elears back to them THREE times and they still rattled. Finally, they replaced them entirely. The replacements also rattle... but not as much.

My Elegias also squeak, but I'm afraid to send them back for fear they'll come back worse.

I suppose it serves me right for buying a product made in France...

 

[coletrain104]

the squeaking is a consequence of their design decision, and is intended (not that they designed it to squeak, rather that their ideal design happens to). if you look at the metal yokes, they have some freedom of rotation within a cutout in the headband plastic, against an inverted peak that acts as a fulcrum. The metal yokes put pressure on the plastic, and the contact between the two squeaks. You will get this with every Focal. If it bugs you buy something else I guess.

 

[jj69]

What you're calling an intentional design decision I call incompetent design. The sqeaking doesn't bug me, it drives me absolutely insane - and it is the sole reason I have not purchased Utopias.

 

[trellus]

What you're calling an intentional design decision I call incompetent design. The sqeaking doesn't bug me, it drives me absolutely insane - and it is the sole reason I have not purchased Utopias.

Yeah, get something else. I don’t recall hearing that ever on my Elear, Elegia, Elex, or Clear… I suspect it’s just not something I am inclined to notice.