[Stillhart]

  To my ears, the Vali takes it with the Q701. It breathes life into the Q701.
 
The Magni, in contrast, makes music sound flatter, stiffer, more constrained, and generally less engaging and interesting.
 
In fact, there's not one pair of headphones I own where I don't feel this to be the case. I like the Vali that much better than the Magni.
 
The only area where the Magni betters the Vali, IMO, is in the noise floor. This is only a concern to me for my bedside setup, where I'm listening at lower volumes. Even so, I always switch back to the Vali despite the noise floor because it's more involving to me.
 
And one other area the Magni is better is in power delivery. I haven't had any issues with my phones being driven well by the Vali. OK, perhaps the the only phone I have that may be preferable with the Magni is the HE-500. Not sure, it's been a while. I recall the HE-500 to sound out of breath with the Vali.
 
Having said that, I can say that the easier-to-drive HE-400 sounds better with Vali though.
 
My recommendation for Q701 is for the Vali.

 
 

   
 
I also think the Vali hits a really sweet spot with the Q701.

 
Thanks, guys.  It seems like the concensus (at least in the Vali thread) is that the Vali is better with the Q701 than the Magni.  I suppose I should probably also ask in the Magni thread.  lol

 

[OmarCCX]

The T50RP is really, really good with the Magni.

 

[jimmers]

  The T50RP is only 50ohm, so you might hear noise and/or constant ringing with the Vali.

The TR50RP can need quite a bit of power, depending on mods, so 50Ohms is not the criterion.

 

[RickB]

  The TR50RP can need quite a bit of power, depending on mods, so 50Ohms is not the criterion.

You might be right. Perhaps somebody who's heard the combo can chime in whether there is actually noise/ringing or not.

 

[totalreader]

Thanks to all who answered. Magni is already ordered!

 

[elwappo99]

 

  The TR50RP can need quite a bit of power, depending on mods, so 50Ohms is not the criterion.

You might be right. Perhaps somebody who's heard the combo can chime in whether there is actually noise/ringing or not.

 
I have a pair of Mad Dog headphones (T50rp mods) and I think it is definitely an excellent combo. Definitely enough power for them.

 

[abhinit90]

 
You might be right. Perhaps somebody who's heard the combo can chime in whether there is actually noise/ringing or not.

even though totalreader has already ordered
 
There's no audible noise floor with the T50RP, and ringing is almost non-existent. Need to strike the case hard to be really rough for some ringing that is very slight, and can only be heard when there's no song playing. 

 

[Master Shake]

Im going to be getting a pair of He-400's fairly soon (tax rebate! wooooo) anyways will this or the magni work better for the He-400? Im a bit of a basshead and like a good low end response. Ill also be running my dt770's (80 ohm) off of it as well. Sorry if i missed anything from earlier pages but skimming through almost 300 pages of info could be a bit of hassle

 

[senseabove]

I've been using a Magni at work and I just received a Vali last week to use at home. I'm loving the sound so far. The warmth nicely rounds out the sharpness of the AT440mla cart I'm borrowing from a friend. This is my first tube amp, though, so I'm a little unsure what's normal and what's not and what might fade with some burn-in.
 
Currently, I'm hearing ringing when I even touch the volume pot, and often just when I move in such a way that jostles the headphone wire. I'd read about the tubes coming off the foam during shipping, so I checked that, and both seem to be fairly firmly planted on the foam, but I gave them a gentle pressing anyway, and the ringing is still pretty strong and long-lasting. Is it time to contact Schiit about a replacement, or should this ringing lessen with burn-in?
 
Also, I'm fairly new to audiophilia in general, so I'm a little unsure about matching amps and headphones and impedance and such, but I'd started using the Vali with a pair of Sennheiser HD-555s. I'm planning on moving to some Grados soon, and I saw a lot about the Grados pairing well with the Vali. Well, I assumed that with the various Grados having lower impedance (32 Ohms) than the HD-555s (50 Ohms), I'd be okay, and I'd been using the 555s at work with a Magni without a problem.  Admittedly, I was doing some pretty loud listening to test differences between the Magni and Vali, but I'm noticing a lot of crackling and distortion now that I'm back on the Magni at work. Did I just turn the volume up too loud and bust the 555s, or were these headphones just a bad match for the Vali?

 

[Snips]

  I've been using a Magni at work and I just received a Vali last week to use at home. I'm loving the sound so far. The warmth nicely rounds out the sharpness of the AT440mla cart I'm borrowing from a friend. This is my first tube amp, though, so I'm a little unsure what's normal and what's not and what might fade with some burn-in.
 
Currently, I'm hearing ringing when I even touch the volume pot, and often just when I move in such a way that jostles the headphone wire. I'd read about the tubes coming off the foam during shipping, so I checked that, and both seem to be fairly firmly planted on the foam, but I gave them a gentle pressing anyway, and the ringing is still pretty strong and long-lasting. Is it time to contact Schiit about a replacement, or should this ringing lessen with burn-in?
 
Also, I'm fairly new to audiophilia in general, so I'm a little unsure about matching amps and headphones and impedance and such, but I'd started using the Vali with a pair of Sennheiser HD-555s. I'm planning on moving to some Grados soon, and I saw a lot about the Grados pairing well with the Vali. Well, I assumed that with the various Grados having lower impedance (32 Ohms) than the HD-555s (50 Ohms), I'd be okay, and I'd been using the 555s at work with a Magni without a problem.  Admittedly, I was doing some pretty loud listening to test differences between the Magni and Vali, but I'm noticing a lot of crackling and distortion now that I'm back on the Magni at work. Did I just turn the volume up too loud and bust the 555s, or were these headphones just a bad match for the Vali?

 
Burn in shouldn't have any effect on the ringing at all. You can try contacting Schiit if you want. 

 

[RickB]

  I've been using a Magni at work and I just received a Vali last week to use at home. I'm loving the sound so far. The warmth nicely rounds out the sharpness of the AT440mla cart I'm borrowing from a friend. This is my first tube amp, though, so I'm a little unsure what's normal and what's not and what might fade with some burn-in.
 
Currently, I'm hearing ringing when I even touch the volume pot, and often just when I move in such a way that jostles the headphone wire. I'd read about the tubes coming off the foam during shipping, so I checked that, and both seem to be fairly firmly planted on the foam, but I gave them a gentle pressing anyway, and the ringing is still pretty strong and long-lasting. Is it time to contact Schiit about a replacement, or should this ringing lessen with burn-in?
 
Also, I'm fairly new to audiophilia in general, so I'm a little unsure about matching amps and headphones and impedance and such, but I'd started using the Vali with a pair of Sennheiser HD-555s. I'm planning on moving to some Grados soon, and I saw a lot about the Grados pairing well with the Vali. Well, I assumed that with the various Grados having lower impedance (32 Ohms) than the HD-555s (50 Ohms), I'd be okay, and I'd been using the 555s at work with a Magni without a problem.  Admittedly, I was doing some pretty loud listening to test differences between the Magni and Vali, but I'm noticing a lot of crackling and distortion now that I'm back on the Magni at work. Did I just turn the volume up too loud and bust the 555s, or were these headphones just a bad match for the Vali?

 
If you're using a USB DAC, try unplugging and plugging it back in to see if the crackling and distortion go away.

 

[CJs06]

Two friends were checking into a hotel the day prior to a Head-Fi meet. Loaded down with bags and suitcases full of wonderous audio gear and oddities, Bob and Tom walk up to the check-in counter. Seeing no-one around the foyer except themselves, they look in the hallway behind the counter to see if an office was occupied. Seeing only closed doors, "Hey! Ring that service bell on the counter there", said Tom. Bob hit the top of the bell just enough but only a dull "clink" sound was made. "Huh, well I guess we could just yell for someone or look around some more," said Bob. Tom set his suitcase down but as he leaned down a bit his shoulder bag slipped off his shoulder onto the floor. "Tiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnggggggggg!" Tom froze in surprise while Bob held his fingers in his ears. Moving his jaw around to get his ears to pop, "What in the hell was that?!" exclaimed Bob. "I think that was my Vali, it rang before when I used it with my headphones but its never..." Immediately a hotel clerk poped out of the back office with a hefty "Howdy!" "I appologize, I was on the phone. I heard y'all ring though! Haha! Y'all must be here for the Head-Fi meet." Bob began to sign for a room while Tom nervously went to check the Vali inside his bag, "I really hope I didn't jack it up," he wispered. As he took the Vali out of his bag and held it up to the light to inspect it, the hotel clerk saw the Vali and took interest. "Hey now I got one of those too! Say, did that make that ringin' noise earlier?" "Um, yeah. Yeah it did," Tom said slowly, unsure if he could see any visible damage to the amplifier. "Hey, thats cool, you're into headphone audio too huh?" said Bob. "Yerp! I tell you what though. That there Vali is a ringer for sure! I can't believe I didn't listen to everyone who said it rang so much before I bought it," said the hotel clerk. "Well Schiit does clearly specify on their website that the tubes will ring if the chasis is hit," said Tom, "but I didn't think it would ring that much!" " Well, I tell ya. That there amplifier isn't worth buying!" exclaimed the hotel clerk, "it just rings too damn much! Imagine if everyone in the meet y'all are havin' has one of them suckers. All you would hear is ringin'!" "Thats a bit dramatic don't you think?" asked Bob. "Listen here. I done read them Head-Fi forum over and over and there is a general consensus that the Vali rings too damn much!" yelled the hotel clerk. "Okay, okay. I just thought people tend to exagerate small issues on the forums is all," Bob said calmly. "Mabey your amplifier is defective Tom, I don't think it should ring like that." "Yeah," sighed tom, "I guess I'll send it back to Schiit when I get home. I was really looking forward to sharing it at the meet since I really enjoy the sound. Oh well, I guess its really a peice of Schiit after all..."
 
To be continued...

 

[dragonfly50]

Really enjoying my Vali after a couple weeks of continuous use with K601. No noise floor, no ringing, more power than I require. Have a Modi coming to see what that's like - always nice to have an additional point of reference, especially one designed to go with the amp.
 
I love the warm little classy box with it's impression of tube heaters - the biasing LEDs!
 
Today I noticed that horns can sound particularly excellent with the K601/Vali combo. Just the right lively, rich, blatty sound. I'm gathering jazz and classical trumpet recordings. Really fun.

 

[RedBull]

Even burning fire (from the movie) sounds excellent with Vali and hd800
I really liking this little baby.

 

[cebuboy]

To those with tube erection problems, did you guys stick the tubes back to the board, or after getting tired of sticking them back again and again decided to leave them erect?
 
The ringing is not as bad with high impedance headphones though...