[fjrabon]

Comments like these make me lean towards the vali 2, the little dot 1+ just seems more interesting though with two tubes and removable op amps. I cant find any info on the output impedence though for either, although some unconfirmed sources have said the LD is around 10 ohm....which is actaully not the best for the 400i if that 10 to 1 rule still applies here. Also there is the xudoo ta-02 which has two tubes and is cheaper than the vali, suposed to be good. Maybe its just me thinking two tubes are better than one.

Vali2 has an output impedance of 1.2 ohms in low gain mode and 5.8 ohms in high gain mode.  Output impedance is a bit less important for planars than dynamics.  10 ohms is still probably okay.  Yes, the LD1+ is about 10 ohms output impedance.  Interestingly, for all I can tell the HiFiMan EF2C's amp portion is basically a LD1+ clone, but without swappable opamps.

 

[ricksome]

  RF Frequency is terribly bad for planar magnetic technology you know

I can count 100% on HiFi Man for warranty work

Stay Tuned

 

[DavidA]

Comments like these make me lean towards the vali 2, the little dot 1+ just seems more interesting though with two tubes and removable op amps. I cant find any info on the output impedence though for either, although some unconfirmed sources have said the LD is around 10 ohm....which is actaully not the best for the 400i if that 10 to 1 rule still applies here. Also there is the xudoo ta-02 which has two tubes and is cheaper than the vali, suposed to be good. Maybe its just me thinking two tubes are better than one.

One thing with tube amps is to consider the tubes that they use, the Vali2 uses a fairly common 6922/6dj8/6np23 for which you can get characteristics that vary quite a bit while the LD 1+ uses a less common tube with less variances but is also cheaper as a whole.

 

[trivium911]

 
Vali2 has an output impedance of 1.2 ohms in low gain mode and 5.8 ohms in high gain mode.  Output impedance is a bit less important for planars than dynamics.  10 ohms is still probably okay.  Yes, the LD1+ is about 10 ohms output impedance.  Interestingly, for all I can tell the HiFiMan EF2C's amp portion is basically a LD1+ clone, but without swappable opamps.

Interesting...which means the Dot 1+ would be like a hifiman amp but great for tinkering. Its also alot cheaper in canada $150 CAD where the vali 2 is about $230. 

 

[fjrabon]

  Interesting...which means the Dot 1+ would be like a hifiman amp but great for tinkering. Its also alot cheaper in canada $150 CAD where the vali 2 is about $230. 

I like the colume control on the EF2C a little bit better (it was basically the entire reason for the upgrade from the EF2A to the EF2C).  But yeah, you have the gist of it.  I had no real interest in op-amp rolling, so I went with the EF2C.  I also got a good deal on mine.  For most people I'd probably recommend the LD1+ now though.  

 

[trivium911]

I like the colume control on the EF2C a little bit better (it was basically the entire reason for the upgrade from the EF2A to the EF2C).  But yeah, you have the gist of it.  I had no real interest in op-amp rolling, so I went with the EF2C.  I also got a good deal on mine.  For most people I'd probably recommend the LD1+ now though.  

Hifiman sounded good with the 400i?

 

[Shahram]

  You've gotten lots of good suggestions, but I would just like to add that I'm using a Vali 2 with my 400i's and I just love it. I have about a half dozen different tubes for it and they all sound a little bit different. If you're into that sort of thing, like I am, and don't mind spending the money, you can tune the Vali 2 to your liking. As of right now, the tube that gets the most use is the Gold Lion. It adds a bit of needed warmth and tames down the upper end just a little bit to me. I also get a sense of a larger soundstage with it. 
 
Just something to to think about. Be sure to check out the Vali 2 threads. There's a couple of em. 

Thank you much for the suggestions. I will be getting the Vali 2 as soon as I get my endgame DAC for my main speaker setup.

 

[fjrabon]

Hifiman sounded good with the 400i?

Yes. Not the best I've heard it, but very good.

 

[trivium911]

Yes. Not the best I've heard it, but very good.

Thanks m assuming the best you have heard is probably well over $200...if thats the case looks like ill be getting the LD

 

[ext23]

Volume wise really? Im on high gain and it sounds excellent. How loud do you normally listen? Maybe i dont listen that loud...but yoy can hear these things from across the room.

 

Quote:

  My avg listening level is 68-78dB, with the X3ii the volume is at 84, high gain for the HE-400i.
 
You might want to measure your listening levels, simplest is to use a free app on your smart phone, some of the better apps will let you do some minor calibration to make the reading a bit more accurate but even so its good info to have since XX-dB is a measurement and means the same to all.

 
I haven't measured my own listening levels, but with replay gain off and high gain switched on, I can still crank the X3ii to full volume and it's 'kinda loud' but nowhere near 'rock out' loud. Admittedly I'm listening to a lot of noisy electronic stuff that suffers from high compression.
 
When listening with the X3ii docked into the K5 amp, I have the K5 on medium gain between 1 and 3 o'clock. Usually around 1 o'clock.
 
FWIW I've found that these cans leak more sound than a lot of other open backs. Listening at a moderate volume at my desk is still enough to annoy my girlfriend on the other side of the room. I just wish they got that loud *inside* the cans too!

 

[DavidA]

   
I haven't measured my own listening levels, but with replay gain off and high gain switched on, I can still crank the X3ii to full volume and it's 'kinda loud' but nowhere near 'rock out' loud. Admittedly I'm listening to a lot of noisy electronic stuff that suffers from high compression.
 
When listening with the X3ii docked into the K5 amp, I have the K5 on medium gain between 1 and 3 o'clock. Usually around 1 o'clock.
 
FWIW I've found that these cans leak more sound than a lot of other open backs. Listening at a moderate volume at my desk is still enough to annoy my girlfriend on the other side of the room. I just wish they got that loud *inside* the cans too!

I don't know if high compression of the audio would make much difference but for me there is no way I can raise the volume level of the X3ii pass 100 and listen with the HE-400i, its just too loud for me and my ears start to hurt.

 

[fjrabon]

I don't know if high compression of the audio would make much difference but for me there is no way I can raise the volume level of the X3ii pass 100 and listen with the HE-400i, its just too loud for me and my ears start to hurt.

I think in the past we've established you listen about 5-6 dB lower than I do. Now go in the grace m9XX thread right now and there's a guy who listens thirty dB louder than me. It's crazy how much difference there is in listening levels between people. Differences in power requirements can vary as much as 4 thousand times more or less power. I've been at meets where I had my HE400i coming out of my m9XX, which is decibel attenuated. I've seen people use it at 50 with that combo and others go to 99.5. That's a difference of 50 dB, which requires 120,000 times more power.

All this just to emphasize that when it comes to amp needs, the headphone matters much less than the user.

 

[trivium911]

I haven't measured my own listening levels, but with replay gain off and high gain switched on, I can still crank the X3ii to full volume and it's 'kinda loud' but nowhere near 'rock out' loud. Admittedly I'm listening to a lot of noisy electronic stuff that suffers from high compression.

When listening with the X3ii docked into the K5 amp, I have the K5 on medium gain between 1 and 3 o'clock. Usually around 1 o'clock.

FWIW I've found that these cans leak more sound than a lot of other open backs. Listening at a moderate volume at my desk is still enough to annoy my girlfriend on the other side of the room. I just wish they got that loud *inside* the cans too!

I just measured with my x3ii on a flac track with a modern jazz track in flac...full volume high gain on the x3ii is a bit over 80db with the smartphone app...too loud for me, it seems a good loud volume for me is under 80 dbs around 75 db and under that for "normal listening". It seems i have more sensitive hearing though as even music at hockey games before between faceoffs is painful and no one else has issues. Agreed that these things leak like crazy, one of these days my wife is going to put a bag over my head lol, you basically need to be in a different room.

 

[mrs1986]

I just measured with my x3ii on a flac track with a modern jazz track in flac...full volume high gain on the x3ii is a bit over 80db with the smartphone app...too loud for me, it seems a good loud volume for me is under 80 dbs around 75 db and under that for "normal listening". It seems i have more sensitive hearing though as even music at hockey games before between faceoffs is painful and no one else has issues. Agreed that these things leak like crazy, one of these days my wife is going to put a bag over my head

lol, you basically need to be in a different room.

I tested my normal volume listening with an iPhone app (probably poor measure) but it gave me 68-72db And I normally listen at 60 volume in the fiio X1, tested at 65 volume... I'm quite scared because of my tinnitus, it does not get worse or better with listening but anyway I got a little paranoic about it... The only thing I want from a better dac is better sound, I guess my volume requirements are actually low...

 

[DavidA]

I just measured with my x3ii on a flac track with a modern jazz track in flac...full volume high gain on the x3ii is a bit over 80db with the smartphone app...too loud for me, it seems a good loud volume for me is under 80 dbs around 75 db and under that for "normal listening". It seems i have more sensitive hearing though as even music at hockey games before between faceoffs is painful and no one else has issues. Agreed that these things leak like crazy, one of these days my wife is going to put a bag over my head

lol, you basically need to be in a different room.

I think your app is reading on the low side, tried my X3ii at 100/120 and its 78-84dB.  At this volume level my GF can hear the HE-400i in the bedroom which is about 25ft away where I am in the living room and around the corner.
 
 

  I tested my normal volume listening with an iPhone app (probably poor measure) but it gave me 68-72db And I normally listen at 60 volume in the fiio X1, tested at 65 volume... I'm quite scared because of my tinnitus, it does not get worse or better with listening but anyway I got a little paranoic about it... The only thing I want from a better dac is better sound, I guess my volume requirements are actually low...

Your measurements are close to mine so it seems like your app is giving some decent readings.  Hope you find a DAC that fits your preference and budget.