[volly]

Still a great little amp!! 

 

[HOWIE13]

  Hmmm... My 400i's will go plenty loud enough on low gain for me. It must be our sources. I'm at around 1 o'clock, give or take depending on the media. I usually listen with the 400i's out of my Emotiva CD Player. 

Yes I'm all Classical and it's mostly recorded at a lower level to allow for ample dynamic range. That and source would likely explain it.

 

[Tuneslover]

Still a great little amp!! 

It certainly is a cute little beast. I keep salivating over the Project Ember amp but don't know how much better it is than the Vali2. Perhaps it would drive my HD650 and HE500 better though.

 

[alyx]

Does anyone find the stock tube's bass muddy?

 

[Faber65]

Does anyone find the stock tube's bass muddy?

Let's say that those are not the best in terms of definition. But that's a ten bucks tube (retail price).
I think they did on purpose to let us the pleasure to play with different tubes and have fun.
To me the Vali2 is a toy, a beautiful toy.
Perfect entry level for the ones that want to have some feeling about the tube amps without spending a fortune.

 

[alyx]

Let's say that those are not the best in terms of definition. But that's a ten bucks tube (retail price).
I think they did on purpose to let us the pleasure to play with different tubes and have fun.
To me the Vali2 is a toy, a beautiful toy.
Perfect entry level for the ones that want to have some feeling about the tube amps without spending a fortune.

Could you recommend me affordable tubes that are better than stock?

 

[west0ne]

Could you recommend me affordable tubes that are better than stock?

I have been using the Electro Harmonix Gold. It has a more 'tubey' sound than stock and is reasonably cheap. I doubt think that the Vali 2 will ever produce a full-on tube sound no matter the tube used.

 

[Faber65]

Could you recommend me affordable tubes that are better than stock?

I have been using the Electro Harmonix Gold. It has a more 'tubey' sound than stock and is reasonably cheap. I doubt think that the Vali 2 will ever produce a full-on tube sound no matter the tube used.

Yes, Electro Harmonix Gold or Philips.
Being hybrid it won't never sound as fully tube

 

[Tuneslover]

Let's say that those are not the best in terms of definition. But that's a ten bucks tube (retail price).
I think they did on purpose to let us the pleasure to play with different tubes and have fun.
To me the Vali2 is a toy, a beautiful toy.
Perfect entry level for the ones that want to have some feeling about the tube amps without spending a fortune.

I received the Sylvania 6BQ7A stock tube with my V2 and actually loved how it sounded. Very good instrument separation, nice detail, forward mid range the way I like it. I began to explore the V2 tube rolling thread and decided to purchase a couple of popular tubes that everyone seemed to like, Electro Harmonix 6922 (regular) and JJ E88CC (gold pin). While each of these tubes sounded slightly different from one another I preferred the JJ. However compared to the stock tube they both sounded conjested and too dull to me. The bass definitely dug deeper (into the sub bass region) but the mid and treble was too boring to me. The stock tube just has so much more detail and life to it that I can't stop listening to my music because it sounds so good. I don't know but I keep wondering if both the JJ and EH tubes that I purchased might be defective because everyone else seems to describe their stock tube as sounding drab, the way I describe the JJ and EH. I don't care for how my HD650 &HE500 sound with the V2 (hi gain), it's as though the V2 strains to produce music so I use the much easier to drive Beyerdynamics DT1350 and HD598 with the Vali 2. These headphones are a real pleasure to listen to with the V2, more so withe stock Sylvania stock tube.

 

[HPiper]

I currently have the original Vali and I was wondering if it would be worth upgrading to the Vali 2 just on a sound quality basis. I don't really need any of the new features they added, but just based on the improvement in the sound would it be a good idea?

 

[RickB]

  I currently have the original Vali and I was wondering if it would be worth upgrading to the Vali 2 just on a sound quality basis. I don't really need any of the new features they added, but just based on the improvement in the sound would it be a good idea?

In my opinion, yes. The Vali 2 has noticeably lower distortion than the 1. 

 

[rgmffn]

  I currently have the original Vali and I was wondering if it would be worth upgrading to the Vali 2 just on a sound quality basis. I don't really need any of the new features they added, but just based on the improvement in the sound would it be a good idea?

I have both. After getting the Vali 2, the org Vali just sits there. (Unless I want to experiment)

 

[dbaker1981]

Well ordered me a vali2 this weekend. Gets shipped out today. I'm excited to hear it hooked up to my Vinyl player.

 

[The Lamonster]

  I have both. After getting the Vali 2, the org Vali just sits there. (Unless I want to experiment)

I love the tubey sound of the original Vali.  Does the Vali 2 stock tube sound similar?
 
My main issue with Vali is the ringing.  Does Vali 2 improve in that regard?

 

[RickB]

  I love the tubey sound of the original Vali.  Does the Vali 2 stock tube sound similar?
 
My main issue with Vali is the ringing.  Does Vali 2 improve in that regard?

The Vali 2 is not as tubey. It has no ringing or other microphonics.