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Official Schiit Vali 2 Thread
Oct 20, 2018 at 1:51 PM Post #2,252 of 3,690
ScubaMan2017 said:
What an unusual little toaster! For spoken word, like podcasts or horror fiction, my solid state (S/S?) head-amp makes it easier to detect all the weird inflections and ticks of the voice artist. For strings (like what I’m listening to right now [Benjamin Britten’s cello suite #1]), my new tube amp excels. Do I detect a background hiss (high-gain flicked up, HD650 clones, fresh morning ears, tweaking on Saturday morning coffee)? I perceive it as a gentle whooshing noise that gets drowned out by the tunes. With the way Schiit stock tubes were described on the thread, I was expecting a snowy-white-noise-hiss-fit. I was wrong. :ksc75smile:

@SchiitFerBrainz ... let your fellow assemblers know of my appreciation, eh. :flag_ca:
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Tubes can pick up noise from different sources. Cellphones, Wifi, etc. First step would be to make sure those type of things are well away from the amp. Of course using low gain should help lower the noise floor - although with 650 "clones"(?) you're probably better off with high gain.
The type/condition of the tube can also affect the type or amount of noise - some tubes just have noise.
Also, it seem that tubes are the only thing that people agree are improved by burn-in. The noise may go away after a few days of use
 
Oct 21, 2018 at 11:08 AM Post #2,253 of 3,690
Hello dear Headphone experts,

2 years ago i bought myself a pair of used AKG Q701 and Soundblaster Z soundcard, over the last months i found out that the soundcard was limiting my headphones and so i started searching for a good DAC/AMP combo with a good bang for the buck.
Right now i narrowed it down to a Modi paired with a Vali 2. My question now is:

I have been reading a lot about how my headphones sound with the Vali 1 and the Vali 2. It seems like the Vali 1 would be the better match, as it warms up the headhphones quiet a bit more than the Vali 2 does.
So i thought about tube rolling the Vali 2.
I also put a bit of time into searching through some tubes and ended up with this one:

PCC88 / 7DJ8 NOS

Does anyone know if this fits my expectations? I am mainly listening to Electronic Musik (Techno, Drum´n´Bass, etc) but also enjoy myself some Indie or Alternative.
I want my AKGs to sound alive and enhance their bass a bit, as they seem a bit to neutral for me, when driven with my old soundcard.

Would gladly appreciate any tips or answers and hope i can finally by my first real set up. :)

Thanks already and hope my english is sufficient as I´m from Germany!

With kind regards,

Timo :)
 
Oct 21, 2018 at 2:18 PM Post #2,254 of 3,690
Had no idea tubes could change how the sounds are, that's very interesting.

This is my first amplifier so I don't really have anything to compare it with, I believe the tube on mine is an Amperex Bugle Boy.
Going to look around to see what other tubes I can use with it, should probably do some research on this tube too haha.
 
Oct 23, 2018 at 2:06 AM Post #2,255 of 3,690
CrispApple said:
Had no idea tubes could change how the sounds are, that's very interesting.

This is my first amplifier so I don't really have anything to compare it with, I believe the tube on mine is an Amperex Bugle Boy.
Going to look around to see what other tubes I can use with it, should probably do some research on this tube too haha.
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I'm not personally familiar with that tube, but from looking around at other posts you lucked out again. There are plenty of tubes to look at. Go to the "Vali 2 tube rolling" thread to see what others are using and, of course, ask questions.
 
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Oct 23, 2018 at 3:25 PM Post #2,257 of 3,690
I didn't think interconnects would make that much of a difference. Evidently they do. I had been using a simple TRS Y connector at the output of an ifi nano BL: 20181023_150739.jpg

Then switched to inexpensive discreet Monoprice Y connectors:
Monoprice.jpg

All-round better sound and imaging.
 
Oct 23, 2018 at 8:47 PM Post #2,258 of 3,690
Keno18 said:
I didn't think interconnects would make that much of a difference. Evidently they do. I had been using a simple TRS Y connector at the output of an ifi nano BL:

Then switched to inexpensive discreet Monoprice Y connectors:


All-round better sound and imaging.
Click to expand...

Some of the Monoprice stuff works well. :thumbsup:
 
Nov 11, 2018 at 9:26 AM Post #2,260 of 3,690
Nov 18, 2018 at 5:22 PM Post #2,261 of 3,690
Lasakro said:
Wonderful thread from newbe head-fi listener here. Earlier today I uploaded to Thingiverse this Schiit Mini Stack mount for those with a 3D printer. Very solid and really helps them from not moving around. Enjoy.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3207569
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Pssst, @Jason Stoddard ... @SchiitFerBrainz .... @Baldr . Would you consider selling such organisation-accessories for your stacks? It might reduce the frequency of boxes slipping off tables and shattering on the floor. It's like an Otter-box for smart-phones. Just my 2 cents...
 
Nov 19, 2018 at 2:39 PM Post #2,262 of 3,690
Dec 8, 2018 at 2:21 PM Post #2,263 of 3,690
I just picked up a Vali 2 and a Modi to use at work. For the weekend I have them set up at home, and I just noticed that after I turned on the Vali, after 15 seconds or so, there's a lot pop in the headphones. I know that there's a delay in output while the tube warms up, but is the loud pop normal?
 
Dec 8, 2018 at 2:43 PM Post #2,264 of 3,690
Jim85IROC said:
I just picked up a Vali 2 and a Modi to use at work. For the weekend I have them set up at home, and I just noticed that after I turned on the Vali, after 15 seconds or so, there's a lot pop in the headphones. I know that there's a delay in output while the tube warms up, but is the loud pop normal?
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Yes it is. It depends on the sensitivity of the headphones and the tube used.
 
Dec 8, 2018 at 2:43 PM Post #2,265 of 3,690
Jim85IROC said:
I just picked up a Vali 2 and a Modi to use at work. For the weekend I have them set up at home, and I just noticed that after I turned on the Vali, after 15 seconds or so, there's a lot pop in the headphones. I know that there's a delay in output while the tube warms up, but is the loud pop normal?
Click to expand...

Yes, it's normal. So far, my headphones have been undamaged by the pop.
 
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