The Asguard 2 is considered warmer than version one. Not sure how much warmer a Valhalla 2 is compared to the Asguard 2. This makes the choice a bit more difficult. But Since the DT880 600 is quiet neutral, a bit of coloring would not hurt. I am not the 100% analytical listener. =)
With stock tubes the Valhalla 2 is anything but warm. It is one of the more solid state sounding tube amps I've heard. My Liquid Carbon is much warmer.
Some amplifiers can have less bass due to distortion, most commonly through an output impedance higher than the load nominal impedance. Some amplifiers by contrast can have more bass by not distorting, or just by having a blacker background as the lack of what you thought is inaudible high frequency noise on some amps is no longer there to affect what bass you can perceive. In the latter example the bass isn't measurably higher, your ears just hear it more easily.
Similarly some amps can have more bass through distortion. In some cases the impedance mismatch can boost bass. In other cases deliberately introduced distortion through bass boost or what counts for "tubey," ie, rolling off the high frequencies, which like the noise reduction, makes bass more audible, except in this case the high frequencies are trimmed off (if not some lower frequencies boosted as well).
In the end what you should go for is an amp that won't distort badly or at least its distortion pattern doesn't make it bright, but still, one that piles on that distortion rather gently, in other words, choose a Schiit or a Meier over the O2 (all have THD measurements supposedly below audibility but push them hard and the first two have less of a tendency to scratch your ears; don't expect it to sound like what people look for in tubes though).
Well that isn't surprising. The more I read about audio the more I understand that the most expensive stuff is just for people with too much money and specific tastes and doesn't seem to at all be about analytical sound quality.
I jump into this discussion about tube or not. I read that tubes produce noise , as does the transistor / IC amps, but the tube makes the noise somehow pleasing to the ear. I have no experience yet. I ordered the Shiit Vahalla 2 today. Hope to get it by the end of Monday, or sooner.
Some amplifiers can have less bass due to distortion, most commonly through an output impedance higher than the load nominal impedance. Some amplifiers by contrast can have more bass by not distorting, or just by having a blacker background as the lack of what you thought is inaudible high frequency noise on some amps is no longer there to affect what bass you can perceive. In the latter example the bass isn't measurably higher, your ears just hear it more easily.
Similarly some amps can have more bass through distortion. In some cases the impedance mismatch can boost bass. In other cases deliberately introduced distortion through bass boost or what counts for "tubey," ie, rolling off the high frequencies, which like the noise reduction, makes bass more audible, except in this case the high frequencies are trimmed off (if not some lower frequencies boosted as well).
In the end what you should go for is an amp that won't distort badly or at least its distortion pattern doesn't make it bright, but still, one that piles on that distortion rather gently, in other words, choose a Schiit or a Meier over the O2 (all have THD measurements supposedly below audibility but push them hard and the first two have less of a tendency to scratch your ears; don't expect it to sound like what people look for in tubes though).
Well that isn't surprising. The more I read about audio the more I understand that the most expensive stuff is just for people with too much money and specific tastes and doesn't seem to at all be about analytical sound quality.
Well can you tell me what is too much money ? The specific tastes that you disagree with? Why is analytical sound what someone should prefer? Please don't say that you want to hear what the artist intended as that is not possible as it got shipped off to mastering and adjusted there.
Well can you tell me what is too much money ? The specific tastes that you disagree with? Why is analytical sound what someone should prefer? Please don't say that you want to hear what the artist intended as that is not possible as it got shipped off to mastering and adjusted there.
No,
I want to hear things the way they were recorded and they way they are meant to be heard.
I don't want to color or distort the sound, but I think that this point of view doesn't have only one answer, because reproduction of audio bitness is just one step.
You chose wisely OP. Valhalla 2 is fantastic for high ohm headphones. It was the first amp that had me go WOW! Other amps are different flavors of the same. OTL is amazing.
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