As promised a couple of weeks ago, I give you my experience with the Asgard3, compared to the Vali2.
I mainly listen to FLAC-files from my PC, using USB to connect to my Modi-multibit. My TV-STB connects through optical and my DVD-player through SPDIF coaxial. So, in the Asgard3 there’s no module...
I bought the Vali2-Modimultibit combo about 18 months ago and used it to drive my ( then new ) Sennheiser HD660S. I have no other headphones, (yet. I'm very interested in the new Audeze LCD1 or the Quad ERA1..) I was under the impression that the combo did a very good job. I bought a couple of different tubes (Tesla and Brimar turned out to be my favourites.), loved tube rolling from the time I used a Darkvoice-amp / HD 600 combination. Both died unfortunately, so there's the new set.
Reading recently about the Asgard3 I decided to go for it, and boy, was that a good decision. Improvement in every department. Did a lot of A-B-ing to make sure it wasn't new-toy-syndrome or anything of the kind. It was not !
I listen to a wide variety of music. Vocal jazz, 90's pop, country, musical/soundtrack/classical. you name it...
Every track the Asgard3 just takes more control over what the HD660S is doing. It sounds more spacious, more detailed, better attack on the bass, more extension to the bass, more details in voices, more room-information.
Most live recordings ( Diana Krall - Live in Paris ; Harry Belafonte - Live at Carnegie Hall) are so much more ‘live’ than before... Cliché, yeah, but it was more like being there.. (Edit: I wrote most-live-recordings, I meant all-live recordings..)
One of my favourite recordings of Moussorgsky’s Pictures at an exhibition for solo organ by Jean Guillou ( LOL, autocorrect wants to make this Guillotine ) ... Never heard it so beautiful. More and better bass extension than the Vali2 could provide..
So much more detail in the voices themselves.. Emmylou Harris, Allison Krause, Mark Knopfler, Sting, Eva Cassidy, the Weavers ( another great Carnegie hall-live recording.) They sound so much more detailed, as if the Vali2 placed them behind that well known curtain and the Asgard3 just ripped that curtain down.. Good job..
As you can tell I’m happy with the Asgard3, hoping it will stay that way. Unfortunately I read about the Bifrost2 DAC, so I’m probably going to be unhappy until.. Anyone have a definitive statement on the Unison USB input quality ?
English is not my first language, I try, if I fail, please forgive me...