[pavnobi]

@ssmith3046 can you share where you purchased your RCA Command 5670 tubes? the price I am seeing is much higher than the $25 you mentioned. maybe it is just a matter of hunting

 

[Hyde00]

However I like listening with it more than I did the Asgard 3.

The Piety is significantly better than the Asgard 3.

lol I've read 1 user who likes Asgard 3 more, so I guess it really depending on taste and preference.

That being said........ I did find Asgard 3 boring when I had it LOL (sorry). I did get Vali 2+ after which I liked more but now I have Lyr 3 and Project Solstice.

But between Piety and Asgard 3 I think I like Piety more (though I never own them at the same time so this is just educated guess).

 

[Runrunsmithfly]

@ssmith3046 can you share where you purchased your RCA Command 5670 tubes? the price I am seeing is much higher than the $25 you mentioned. maybe it is just a matter of hunting

Ebay, but I think the prices might have gone up since the Vali 2++ was introduced.
I see one on ebay now for $25 that test as NOS.

 

[pavnobi]

That being said........ I did find Asgard 3 boring when I had it LOL (sorry). I did get Vali 2+ after which I liked more but now I have Lyr 3 and Project Solstice.

But between Piety and Asgard 3 I think I like Piety more (though I never own them at the same time so this is just educated guess).

how do you like these 2 amps and how do they compare to the MP in your opinion?

 

[artur9]

However I like listening with it more than I did the Asgard 3. ... but I enjoy the Piety a lot more and those factors are ultimately as real as any other in the enjoyment derived.

I have both (in different locations). Using DT770 (although different impedances, 80 and 250) with both, the Asgard with MB board via USB strikes me as somewhat more neutral than the MagPi and Gumby combination. A bit crystalline, if you will. The MagPi/Gumby have a richness that is intoxicating.

Using a food analogy, AS3/MB is cocoa made with water, MagPi/Gumby is cocoa made with a bit of cream and a shot of rum. Sometimes, the latter can be too much of a good thing :-D

 

[AstronomerXI]

lol I've read 1 user who likes Asgard 3 more, so I guess it really depending on taste and preference.

That being said........ I did find Asgard 3 boring when I had it LOL (sorry). I did get Vali 2+ after which I liked more but now I have Lyr 3 and Project Solstice.

But between Piety and Asgard 3 I think I like Piety more (though I never own them at the same time so this is just educated guess).

I have both. For me, the Asgard 3 wins by a hair...but it's also connected to a Lokius and a Freya N with the most wonderful Amperex Bugle Boy and Russian tubes, both from 1960 and '62. I should take the Pi' and hook it up to that stack to see what it will sound like.

 

[Hyde00]

how do you like these 2 amps and how do they compare to the MP in your opinion?

Piety = I think the stock tuning is rich and easy to like, it's easily the most tube sounding solid state. Kind of explain why everyone loves it. But reason why it didn't beat the other 2 for me is that it lacks a bit of refinement (I mean understandable in price). And low gain vocal is forward and mids is rich, but treble is a bit lacking for my taste. High gain the treble is present but the mids got pushed back. I guess if I have a Loki I can probably easily solve this.

Lyr 3 = easily the most refined of the 3. Everything is there and it's rich and smooth and nothing hurts your ear and has good resolution detail. But it still sound like a very very good solid state rather than tube.

Project Solstice = easily the most "tube" sounding including holographic 3Dness. Default it has 0.1 ohm impedance (low setting) output which is technically correct but sounds okay. Things got interesting when you flip to 31 ohm output impedance (mid setting) which is wrong but sounds better (to my ears). Anyone who owns Garage 1217 amps REALLY should try the mid (31 ohm) or high (68 ohm) setting it might surprise you. So yeah in terms of live recording this beats Lyr 3 in terms of holographic 3D. But Lyr 3 is easily the more refined amp. That's why I kept both for different flavours.

But both Lyr 3 and Project Polaris easily cost wayyyyyy more if you factor in tube cost too vs Piety, then the tube rolling, then the tube adapters cost LOL.

Using a food analogy, AS3/MB is cocoa made with water, MagPi/Gumby is cocoa made with a bit of cream and a shot of rum. Sometimes, the latter can be too much of a good thing :-D

LOL good analogy and I agree with you. And in my case with Lawton TH900 it's too much of a good thing LOL.

I have both. For me, the Asgard 3 wins by a hair...but it's also connected to a Lokius and a Freya N with the most wonderful Amperex Bugle Boy and Russian tubes, both from 1960 and '62. I should take the Pi' and hook it up to that stack to see what it will sound like.

Lol would be interesting to hear your comparison between:

Vanilla Asgard 3 vs Vanilla Piety.

Asgard 3 with Lokius and Freya vs Piety with Lokius and Freya.

But I can see why you use Asgard (better amp) + Lokius + Freya (better tuning). It's basically making Asgard into a super Piety.

 

[BS5711]

I have both. For me, the Asgard 3 wins by a hair...but it's also connected to a Lokius and a Freya N with the most wonderful Amperex Bugle Boy and Russian tubes, both from 1960 and '62. I should take the Pi' and hook it up to that stack to see what it will sound like.

What DAC is connected to the Piety in that comparison ?

It would be nice to hear your impressions of the Asgard 3 versus the Piety with the same upstream components. Logically something that shows off the amps themselves rather than with a tube preamp.

 

[CEE TEE]

I am also experiencing extra bass as well with Piety and Modi Multibit 2 using meze 99 noir. I'm not as impressed with this stack as I thought I would. It sounds better with Monolith m1060s but they are better headphones.

Hey @saMWyz , I worked on the Meze 99 Noir project for over 2 years when I was at Massdrop. We worked hard to have Meze include a 2nd set of earpads in the box with them. (The extra pads are not the same pair of pads.) The 99 are quite warm stock. One pair of ear pads is a bit less warm. Just checking to see if you got an extra pair of pads in your box? Not sure if they are still shipping with the extra pads...

 

[Festive56]

Hey @saMWyz , I worked on the Meze 99 Noir project for over 2 years when I was at Massdrop. We worked hard to have Meze include a 2nd set of earpads in the box with them. (The extra pads are not the same pair of pads.) The 99 are quite warm stock. One pair of ear pads is a bit less warm. Just checking to see if you got an extra pair of pads in your box? Not sure if they are still shipping with the extra pads...

CEE TEE, thank you for bringing the Piety to market, they'll get mine when they pry it from my cold dead fingers!

 

[AstronomerXI]

Lol would be interesting to hear your comparison between:

Vanilla Asgard 3 vs Vanilla Piety.

Asgard 3 with Lokius and Freya vs Piety with Lokius and Freya.

But I can see why you use Asgard (better amp) + Lokius + Freya (better tuning). It's basically making Asgard into a super Piety.

You nailed it with the Asgard 3->Lokius->Freya->and Sundara chain. I prefer the Sundaras with the Asgard, and the Sennheiser 650's with the Piety. I will try both with the Piety when I take it into the stack with the Freya and Lokius. I'll likely get around to doing that once things settle a bit at work or if we get a stormy weekend.

 

[AstronomerXI]

What DAC is connected to the Piety in that comparison ?

It would be nice to hear your impressions of the Asgard 3 versus the Piety with the same upstream components. Logically something that shows off the amps themselves rather than with a tube preamp.

Currently I'm using the iFi Zen Dac v2. It pairs very well with the stack. I'l eventually order one of the higher-end Schiit DACs, but I'm very happy with this combo.

 

[pavnobi]

I wanted to listen for a while before giving brief impressions, I’ll be real with you guys so I’ll start with saying the differences between Magni+ and Piety aren’t night and day, still I think the differences are still there.

Piety has a very slightly splashy lower treble M+ is more refined and maybe more detailed

Piety feels like it’s missing some deep bass rumble and not as controlled compared M+

M+ soundstage is a tad smaller and less open than Piety

M+ mids are a little less forward and cleaner but Piety is more forward but also more fluid.

I’ll update once I’ve had a lot more time on them both.

do you still stand by these observations? M+ and MP feel not so different?

 

[AnalogEuphoria]

do you still stand by these observations? M+ and MP feel not so different?

Yes nothing really changed apart from me appreciating the Magni+ more. I prefer the treble presentation with M+ because its cleaner and more detailed than Piety.

 

[pavnobi]

Ebay, but I think the prices might have gone up since the Vali 2++ was introduced.
I see one on ebay now for $25 that test as NOS.

I found another RCA Command 5670 on ebay NOS Tested for 24.99. is the Vali 2++ good for running HD600 solo? I know it has the power, but I mean have you tried it that way and are happy with the outcome or do you have a few other things going on in the mix?