[WayTooCrazy]

   
Got a pair of 650s, and they sound pretty damn nice with my pinched waist miniwatt PCC88.
 
If you are considering a pair of closed, might I recommend a pair of NAD Viso HP50s? They sound unreal (in the good way) with my philips (Ei) PCC88.
 
Having never heard either, I'm torn between either Oppo PM-3s or Hifiman HE-400i for my next pair (whenever that is).

I enjoyed both the Oppo PM-3 and HE-400i with my Vali2, but I much prefer my EL-8 Open to both.  You can't go wrong with either, but if you already have the HP50, might as well lean towards the HE-400i. It is more detailed than the PM-3 and has better highs and more forward mids. The bass is more detailed, but less in quantity to the PM-3.

 

[listen4joy]

finally arrived today, sound pretty good with hd800!

 

[WayTooCrazy]

  finally arrived today, sound pretty good with hd800!

Very Interesting! I've always considered the HD800 and a Woo Audio WA22 to be my "endgame" headphone, but I'm in no rush to get there. It is nice to know that I could get the HD800 and have it pair well enough with the Vali2 until I can scratch up the funds to get the WA22.

 

[jimdandy]

I got the Vali 2 and I have had it for 3 months and a Upscale 7DJ8/PCC88 National Tube. I'm using the 400i with new 2.5mm connectors exclusively and I LOVE IT AND THEM. Wow awesome listening to Black Sabbath 13 Deluxe as we speak as will as Five Finger,Rob Zombie and the whole Heavymetal lot. Bass is good midrange is good. Cymbals sound good. Going to get a Onkyo DP-X1 next for portable listening. Can't wait for that tired of listening to cellphones. LOL. I can't say it enough and I know it gets said a lot but,the guys at Schiit Audio really know what they are doing. Affordable,good sounding stuff. Yes they look a little plain but to me it is what is on the inside that matters. I close my eyes and kick back when I listen to my music anyway. LOL. 400i is awesome with the right tube. Just pick a good tube and your done. But what can you say? Planar magnetic goodness.  After listening to Planars I will not go back. Just me personally of course. I have WYRD,MODI 2 UBER and Magni 2 UBER as well. Two stacks of Schiit. Awesome.

 

[aenokea]

  I got the Vali 2 and I have had it for 3 months and a Upscale 7DJ8/PCC88 National Tube. I'm using the 400i with new 2.5mm connectors exclusively and I LOVE IT AND THEM. Wow awesome listening to Black Sabbath 13 Deluxe as we speak as will as Five Finger,Rob Zombie and the whole Heavymetal lot. Bass is good midrange is good. Cymbals sound good. Going to get a Onkyo DP-X1 next for portable listening. Can't wait for that tired of listening to cellphones. LOL. I can't say it enough and I know it gets said a lot but,the guys at Schiit Audio really know what they are doing. Affordable,good sounding stuff. Yes they look a little plain but to me it is what is on the inside that matters. I close my eyes and kick back when I listen to my music anyway. LOL. 400i is awesome with the right tube. Just pick a good tube and your done. But what can you say? Planar magnetic goodness.  After listening to Planars I will not go back. Just me personally of course. I have WYRD,MODI 2 UBER and Magni 2 UBER as well. Two stacks of Schiit. Awesome.

I have the two ubers and cant say enough good about them. They are great! I was thinking of adding the vali2 to my stack to sample some tube amplification. Do I need the wyrd to connect the vali to my stack? 

 

[AviP]

I have the two ubers and cant say enough good about them. They are great! I was thinking of adding the vali2 to my stack to sample some tube amplification. Do I need the wyrd to connect the vali to my stack? 

No, the Wyrd is to clean the USB signal, it goes in between the computer and the DAC.

 

[JBassFox]

Out of curiosity to anyone with a pair of 600 ohm Beyers, how high do you set your volume pot? Is it normal to crank it almost all the way to get a nice loud listening experience? I know the 600s require more juice, I just didn't think it'd be this much.

Edit: Nevermind. No idea what changed, but now I'm floating a lot closer to 12'.

 

[jimdandy]

 

  I got the Vali 2 and I have had it for 3 months and a Upscale 7DJ8/PCC88 National Tube. I'm using the 400i with new 2.5mm connectors exclusively and I LOVE IT AND THEM. Wow awesome listening to Black Sabbath 13 Deluxe as we speak as will as Five Finger,Rob Zombie and the whole Heavymetal lot. Bass is good midrange is good. Cymbals sound good. Going to get a Onkyo DP-X1 next for portable listening. Can't wait for that tired of listening to cellphones. LOL. I can't say it enough and I know it gets said a lot but,the guys at Schiit Audio really know what they are doing. Affordable,good sounding stuff. Yes they look a little plain but to me it is what is on the inside that matters. I close my eyes and kick back when I listen to my music anyway. LOL. 400i is awesome with the right tube. Just pick a good tube and your done. But what can you say? Planar magnetic goodness.  After listening to Planars I will not go back. Just me personally of course. I have WYRD,MODI 2 UBER and Magni 2 UBER as well. Two stacks of Schiit. Awesome.

I have the two ubers and cant say enough good about them. They are great! I was thinking of adding the vali2 to my stack to sample some tube amplification. Do I need the wyrd to connect the vali to my stack? 

No but you will need to get RCA spliters to connector the Magni and the Vali 2 to your DAC. You can get them through Parts Express.

 

[Skarecrow77]

Out of curiosity to anyone with a pair of 600 ohm Beyers, how high do you set your volume pot? Is it normal to crank it almost all the way to get a nice loud listening experience? I know the 600s require more juice, I just didn't think it'd be this much.

Edit: Nevermind. No idea what changed, but now I'm floating a lot closer to 12'.

 
in low gain mode? hell yes. I'm not even sure you can get good volume out of 600ohm beyers in low gain mode.
 
in high gain mode? not AS badly, but still much higher than my 300ohm Senn's. I think I run the vali 2 pot around 3-4 "o'clock" with my wife's 600ohm DT880s.

for comparison, I run about 11-12 "o'clock" with my Senn HD-650s in hi gain mode, and the same with my NAD HP50s or PSB M4U1 in low gain mode (both of the latter two known as being pretty easy to drive).
 
maybe I just like loud music. 

 

[LazyBonesIH]

I agree with Goodguccigoo.
The EH6922 Gold works pretty well with the Vali2.
Of course here I am considering the value for money.
And I like the Vali2 also with my Grado, not only with the Senns.

 
You are correct, the EH6922 Gold does sound excellent. One thing I have noticed, depending on which tube / valve is in the Vali 2, the pop just after switch on varies in volume, the 6N23P gave quite a loud pop, the pop from the 6FQ7 was barely noticeable, the EH6922 was slightly louder.

 

[WayTooCrazy]

This is why I don't plug my headphones in till it does the audible pop.

 

[Faber65]

This is why I don't plug my headphones in till it does the audible pop.

Smart practice!

 

[Faber65]

I agree with Goodguccigoo.

The EH6922 Gold works pretty well with the Vali2.

Of course here I am considering the value for money.

And I like the Vali2 also with my Grado, not only with the Senns.

You are correct, the EH6922 Gold does sound excellent. One thing I have noticed, depending on which tube / valve is in the Vali 2, the pop just after switch on varies in volume, the 6N23P gave quite a loud pop, the pop from the 6FQ7 was barely noticeable, the EH6922 was slightly louder.

Maybe to define the EH6922 as excellent it is slightly a stretch, but yes: the value for money it's there.
Said so, I would like to go back to the pop caused by the tubes as in my case the situation is exactly the opposite: both 6FQ7 that I have (the standard one and the spare both from Schiit) have a louder pop than the EH6922. I am not an expert in this field, but I wonder if it could be caused by the production batch or the manufacturer process.
Anyhow, now I'm tempted to buy also a Mullard NOS, but maybe it is too much for the small Vali.
Better to save the money or spend it in music.
Is there anyone that has already tried and that may give me an opinion before I pull the trigger and I spend 80-90 bucks?

 

[Faber65]

By the way: I have seen that online the Philips ECC88 JAN made in USA is quite popular. I am wondering if there are relevant differences between the one marked in green and the one marked in blue.

 

[LazyBonesIH]

Maybe to define the EH6922 as excellent it is slightly a stretch, but yes: the value for money it's there.
Said so, I would like to go back to the pop caused by the tubes as in my case the situation is exactly the opposite: both 6FQ7 that I have (the standard one and the spare both from Schiit) have a louder pop than the EH6922. I am not an expert in this field, but I wonder if it could be caused by the production batch or the manufacturer process.
Anyhow, now I'm tempted to buy also a Mullard NOS, but maybe it is too much for the small Vali.
Better to save the money or spend it in music.
Is there anyone that has already tried and that may give me an opinion before I pull the trigger and I spend 80-90 bucks?

Okay, Excellent is a bit of a stretch as a superlative. Think I paid around the £ 20 mark with delivery, for the valve / tube, so agreed good VFM. Yikes, 80-90 bucks, round £ 54-60, just checked where I bought the EH6922, an ECC88 Mullard NOS is £ 25, though currently out of stock, at £ 25 I might be tempted.