[JamminVMI]

But the picture shows a switch on the face for two pairs (1/2 or 3/4) and the facial indicators list Monitors 1/2 or 3/4 so while it does seem odd that they don't list L/R for each pair, I suppose they expect you to figure it out. I would guess 1 and 3 are automatically, LEFTS and 2 and 4 are RIGHTS. So they are Tip and Ring, two-conductor jacks for use with monophonic cables, sent to separate monitors.

Yeah, on page 13 of that manual (talking about the controls on the top!) it confirms that the stereo pairs are either 1&2 or 3&4. Wow...

 

[Indrajit]

Use the 3.5 mm set to line out to dual RCA, check cables for less or monoprice, they should have it. For even better sound, pick up aMode (preferably multibit ),Then use the FiiO cable that takes 3.5 out to SPDIF Coax, and set your X5iii to output digital, bypassing the internal DAC...

Hth...

Thanks
I have one more question. What is the size of the Magni 3 headphone jack? Is it 3.5mm?

 

[JamminVMI]

Thanks
I have one more question. What is the size of the Magni 3 headphone jack? Is it 3.5mm?

1/4” - 6.35mm (offhand, I think that’s true for all Schiit single-ended hp outputs...).

 

[Indrajit]

1/4” - 6.35mm (offhand, I think that’s true for all Schiit single-ended hp outputs...).

Thanks again

 

[beyermann]

Yeah, on page 13 of that manual (talking about the controls on the top!) it confirms that the stereo pairs are either 1&2 or 3&4. Wow...

Yes:

So my idea is to put 3&4 into the magni 3, and keep 1&2 for monitors. On the front panel, you have the 2 volume knobs for each pair.

This is actually great because that way I can just buy the magni 3 for 99 bucks and keep using my headphones and keep saving for a better USB interface.

 

[Logistics]

i dont see how that is possible unless schiit lied about the power ratings on the magni , which does not match up to the measurement i saw. I can easily listen to my O2 amp at a louder and less shrill volume than my magni 3 and the o2 has far less power. the measurment clearly showed the magni 3 was capable of 1.7 watts rms into around a 30 ohm no clipping load, just that it was far less clean power than the competition. The reviewer did a blind test and found one unit to be brighter when he raised the volume and sure enough it was the magni 3. You can believe what you want and hear what you believe, but i found the same sound trend with my unit before i ecer saw that test. Why would i buy the thing otherwise?

I use a Magni 3 with MDR-V700's, which are 24-Ohm, and I don't have these problems you're mentioning. Of course I'm also, using the Modi 2 Uber, and my source is an M-Audio Delta 410 outputting over coax to the Modi. My Magni 3 is on the low gain setting. Windows volume is always at maximum. I only listen to WAV files, ripped directly from CD's.

Maybe some other element we aren't considering. My rig sounds awesome from classical to heavy metal to dubstep. And I have eclectic tastes in music so I've heard many, many different genres over this rig.

Matthew

 

[BrotherKathos]

I use a Magni 3 with MDR-V700's, which are 24-Ohm, and I don't have these problems you're mentioning. Of course I'm also, using the Modi 2 Uber, and my source is an M-Audio Delta 410 outputting over coax to the Modi. My Magni 3 is on the low gain setting. Windows volume is always at maximum. I only listen to WAV files, ripped directly from CD's.

Maybe some other element we aren't considering. My rig sounds awesome from classical to heavy metal to dubstep. And I have eclectic tastes in music so I've heard many, many different genres over this rig.

Matthew

I think I just simply don’t like the magni 3’s sound signature schiit designed in it. I sent it back to have it fixed and the volume pot was bad and replaced, but there were no problems found other than that. It was not until I got the hd6xx and modi multibit that I started to like the setup together with the magni 3. I cant listen to any other of my headphones with even the mimby magni 3 stack as its still too shouty up high for my tastes.

That said though the hd6xx works great with the setup as long as I dont turn the volume up too high. I keep it on low gain and around 9:00 on the pot with the hd6xx and have actually been very pleased. It sounds great as a chill bedside setup where I’m generally reading and not cranking the volume. I think I just prefer a much warmer sound than maybe the average person, but at low volumes the slight treble and bass hike of the magni pairs well with the hd6xx and lets me hear everything clearly without getting any sense of that so called sennheiser’veil’.

I’m actually debating whether or not to try a Lyr 3 with the tung sol tube or project ember just to see if I can get some more smoothness up top and possibly retire the magni 3. At the same time I’m not sure it would be worth it because as i’ve said before I actually really like the mimby magni hdxx pairing at those chilling volume levels and the Lry 3 or ember might ruin the synergy for me. I’ve generally stayed away from tubes also due to my experience with them always having various issues like ringing, hiss or crackling that drives me nuts. I can ignore it on my old fender guitar amps but not on my ht or desktop stereo.

 

[Logistics]

The reason I decided on this Schiit stack was that I went to Can Jam in SF, and tried my V700's on several amps, and compared them to other headphones on the same amps. Mine sounded best on the Modi/Magni combo. I tried two other pairs on the combo, one I can't recall, but it was terrible. The other was the HD 680's, which I didn't like at all. They had the soundstage I was getting with the V700's, but they were so bright and tinny on the top end, I couldn't stand listening to them. But that's just my ears.

Before I invested in the Schiit stack, I had a Yamaha C-65, and it had a very warm sound in comparison, but its upper end was not as clear. It could just be due to age--I had planned on refreshing it until it fried one channel. Maybe someday, but in the meantime, loving the Magni 3.

 

[BrotherKathos]

The reason I decided on this Schiit stack was that I went to Can Jam in SF, and tried my V700's on several amps, and compared them to other headphones on the same amps. Mine sounded best on the Modi/Magni combo. I tried two other pairs on the combo, one I can't recall, but it was terrible. The other was the HD 680's, which I didn't like at all. They had the soundstage I was getting with the V700's, but they were so bright and tinny on the top end, I couldn't stand listening to them. But that's just my ears.

Before I invested in the Schiit stack, I had a Yamaha C-65, and it had a very warm sound in comparison, but its upper end was not as clear. It could just be due to age--I had planned on refreshing it until it fried one channel. Maybe someday, but in the meantime, loving the Magni 3.

Yea, the way you did it was the best way. Finding the right pairing for your tase through personal experience always trumps reviews from others, although they can help sometimes. My impressions of the o2 amp and jds labs el amp for the most part matched up with reviews, but the magni 3 was a total miss as it has been claimed to be slightly warm , where i found it to be past neutral and closer to bright.

 

[treecloud]

...I think I just simply don’t like the magni 3’s sound signature schiit designed in it....I think I just prefer a much warmer sound than maybe the average person, but at low volumes the slight treble and bass hike of the magni pairs well with the hd6xx and lets me hear everything clearly without getting any sense of that so called sennheiser’veil’.

I’m actually debating whether or not to try a Lyr 3 with the tung sol tube or project ember just to see if I can get some more smoothness up top and possibly retire the magni 3. At the same time I’m not sure it would be worth it because as i’ve said before I actually really like the mimby magni hdxx pairing at those chilling volume levels and the Lry 3 or ember might ruin the synergy for me.

I prefer a warmer balance also. I don't like a perfectly flat balance usually, but psychoacoustics can play a role also. Most systems whether headphone or speaker based don't do the bottom octave adequately, or at all. And if it's not there to begin with (adequate headroom combined with low distortion) EQ can't fix it. But in a system that really will do the bottom octave clean and with power, I find I don't mind a flat balance so much, in fact I'd say I like it better. The psychoacoustic trick is it no longer sounds overly bright, even tho the only difference is "real" bottom active has been added. Where the bottom octave cannot be added (because it's just not there to begin with) I find I have to use EQ to roll down the highs a bit to find musical pleasure. I also find trying to achieve the balance I prefer via the "system matching" approach to be hit or miss at best.

I think you may want to try a Loki in your chain before you write off the Magni 3 altogether.

BTW I had the opposite impression from your experience of the Magni 3 and O2 recently. My Topping D50 was not seen by the laptop for some reason and to trouble shoot I stuck in the Massdrop ODAC+O2. It worked but I also noticed a lack of dynamic heft and contrast...it seemed a bit grey compared to what I had become used to.

So next I wanted to see if the problem was the D50 or the Magni, so I ran the ODAC into the Magni, and it worked, and dynamics were back. At that point the Magni clearly seemed more dynamic, making me think it had something to do with greater headroom. And then I eventually got the D50 to be seen again, and was back to using the D50 and Magni.

 

[BrotherKathos]

I prefer a warmer balance also. I don't like a perfectly flat balance usually, but psychoacoustics can play a role also. Most systems whether headphone or speaker based don't do the bottom octave adequately, or at all. And if it's not there to begin with (adequate headroom combined with low distortion) EQ can't fix it. But in a system that really will do the bottom octave clean and with power, I find I don't mind a flat balance so much, in fact I'd say I like it better. The psychoacoustic trick is it no longer sounds overly bright, even tho the only difference is "real" bottom active has been added. Where the bottom octave cannot be added (because it's just not there to begin with) I find I have to use EQ to roll down the highs a bit to find musical pleasure. I also find trying to achieve the balance I prefer via the "system matching" approach to be hit or miss at best.

I think you may want to try a Loki in your chain before you write off the Magni 3 altogether.

BTW I had the opposite impression from your experience of the Magni 3 and O2 recently. My Topping D50 was not seen by the laptop for some reason and to trouble shoot I stuck in the Massdrop ODAC+O2. It worked but I also noticed a lack of dynamic heft and contrast...it seemed a bit grey compared to what I had become used to.

So next I wanted to see if the problem was the D50 or the Magni, so I ran the ODAC into the Magni, and it worked, and dynamics were back. At that point the Magni clearly seemed more dynamic, making me think it had something to do with greater headroom. And then I eventually got the D50 to be seen again, and was back to using the D50 and Magni.

Thanks for reminding me about the Loki Treecloud. I forgot about that little box. I think you are right, and That might fix my problem. I do like how the bottom end is pronounced on the magni 3. I’m not really a bass head, but I do appreciate the ability to reproduce bass well in a system. My home theater has 2 1000 watt 18s and a 1000 watt 12 in it, but I swear I’m not a bass head..... probably lost my cred a bit there..... anyway I think you are right. Loki is a much more economical solution possibly. Thanks again.

 

[treecloud]

...I’m not really a bass head, but I do appreciate the ability to reproduce bass well in a system. My home theater has 2 1000 watt 18s and a 1000 watt 12 in it, but I swear I’m not a bass head..... probably lost my cred a bit there

No loss of cred with me! I have 4 15's in my speaker based system, and I'm not a bass head either

 

[BrotherKathos]

No loss of cred with me! I have 4 15's in my speaker based system, and I'm not a bass head either

I just ordered the Loki. Feels somewhat surreal to be getting a $150 eq for a $99 amp, but YOLO

btw 4 15’s sounds like just enough bass hehe.

 

[treecloud]

I just ordered the Loki. Feels somewhat surreal to be getting a $150 eq for a $99 amp, but YOLO

btw 4 15’s sounds like just enough bass hehe.

I don't have one yet, been considering it for a while now, will be interested in your impressions.

 

[BrotherKathos]

I don't have one yet, been considering it for a while now, will be interested in your impressions.

I’ll post them up for sure. I’m on the other end of the country so it’s going to be around 4 or 5 days most likely. I should be fine with the 8k adjustment to tame the magni a bit when i crank the volume. I’m listening to Bram stoker’s dracula soundtrack right now and on low gain at 9:00 with my hdxx it sounds great. But if i turn up the volume the trumpets get a bit shouty. The Loki should be just the schiit I need.