[watchnerd]

What happened?

 
I don't want to provide a summary.
 
I also don't know if it's actually true that the poster has been banned as a customer, although IMO it would be understandable.
 
If you really want to delve into it, I'm sure you can look up the poster's past posts, unless they've been deleted.

 

[ld100]

What happened?

 
I openly complained in this thread about various issues including wires not going in, volume pot off center, sound and build quality. 
 
My unit also had to be unplugged and plugged back in quite often after removing headphones. Did not realise that it crashed on disconnecting headphones, but now it seems to be a common issue with Fulla 2. So mine was doing that regularly...
 
I returned it and then had to ask for issuing credit back to me. They charged me for shipping and 15% restocking fees.
 
Schiit did return the money at the end including shipping both ways, but told me not to buy their products in a future...
 
The way I was treated is not the way the company that stands by its product and is proud of their product should be treating customers. In my opinion. Basically I was told the unit was functioning as designed and they did not even offer a working unit as a replacement.

 

[trellus]

Shanling M1, $150 on Amazon, is a diminutive DAP that can act as a transport as you described.

Some people use the M1 with a Mojo via USB, bypassing the M1 DAC.

Pretty sure that would work with Fulla 2 as well, though have neither to test and confirm.

Are there any cheap daps that the Fulla 2 can use as basically a media storage device and which the Fulla 2 can bypass the internal dac of the dap? I'm thinking of a Fiio X3ii... but would be interested if there were others. 

 

[ld100]

   
I don't want to provide a summary.
 
I also don't know if it's actually true that the poster has been banned as a customer, although IMO it would be understandable.
 
If you really want to delve into it, I'm sure you can look up the poster's past posts, unless they've been deleted.

 
Anyone can go back in this thread and read. If you think that a customer does not have a right to complain about issues openly we have a very different understanding about things.
 
When I pay for a product I expect it to be fully functioning and in a perfect condition. No screwdriver marks and no off center volume pots and etc. If I have standard audio cables that I purchased in Best Buy and used for years on variety of devices I expect them to go in. If they don't this is a flaw in design. Some will take matters in they hands and fix it as in a pic few posts back. Some will replace volume pots... I am not that handy. 
 
I keep getting notifications from this thread and it seems that issues that I had are common. Some choose to live with them and love Fulla 2. Some don't. I am sure most people who bought Fulla 2 are happy and simply don't post here. But at the same time this thread has the highest number of issues brought up I ever seen related to an audio device.
 
Personally, I really wanted to love Fulla 2, but I did not. Thinking about it now I can tell you that probably any audio device that has a volume pot that much off center I ever get will be going back. For a $100 bucks or for a $3000... And if there are multiple issues like I had any device will be going back from me.

 

[fexofen]

will these drive DT880 600 ohm?

 

[whaiyun]

  will these drive DT880 600 ohm?

Probably not. At least not to the level you'd want them at. They drive my HD-6XX somewhat (300 ohm) but not what I'd call well.

 

[Alamei]

  will these drive DT880 600 ohm?

 
I would say the answer to your question depends on your preferred listening levels (as is almost always the case when asking about amplifiers). While the DT880-600s are certainly high impedance, they're also relatively high sensitivity (96dB/mW). That means that, if you want a peak volume level of, say, 100 dB (which is quite loud, to the point where consistent exposure will cause hearing damage), you only need 2.5mW of power. While Schiit doesn't publish a 600 ohm power spec on the Fulla 2, I doubt it's less than 3mW @ 600O, given that it has 40mW @ 300O. You could probably email them and ask them, if you're curious.
 
That said, if you like to listen at really loud levels, the Fulla 2 definitely won't work for you, because power requirements for volume increase exponentially. You'd need around 8mW for 105dB, and 25mW for 110dB, neither of which I would count on the Fulla 2 would provide. On the other hand, if you prefer to keep things quieter, with peaks around 90dB, you'd only need ~0.25mW, and you'd almost surely have tons of headroom.
 

  Probably not. At least not to the level you'd want them at. They drive my HD-6XX somewhat (300 ohm) but not what I'd call well.

 
Unlike whaiyun, I found that the Fulla 2 drove my HD 650s significantly beyond the volume level I would consider comfortable for consistent listening, to the point that I found myself lowering digital volume just to give myself more range on the volume control. The HD 6xx series headphones have sensitivity around 97dB/mW. If you push the Fulla 2's rated 40mW into that, it's going to produce around 113dB. If you're someone that likes going to rock concerts where they amp everything to an insane level (often around 120dB near the front), then you might enjoy that, but I would consider it a form of torture.
 
Ultimately, it comes down to your personal listening preferences. If you know you like cranking the volume, I would look for a solution with non-USB power. If you listen at moderate or quiet levels, you're not likely to run out of power with any desktop amplifier.

 

[SomeTechNoob]

While the Fulla 2 can get my HD 6XXs really loud - like ear blasting loud, I still find my Magni 2 a good upgrade/pairing over the Fulla 2.  Tighter and fuller bass especially.  Of course, sound out of the Fulla 2 is completely respectable and is still quite good.

 

[whaiyun]

I would say the answer to your question depends on your preferred listening levels (as is almost always the case when asking about amplifiers). While the DT880-600s are certainly high impedance, they're also relatively high sensitivity (96dB/mW). That means that, if you want a peak volume level of, say, 100 dB (which is quite loud, to the point where consistent exposure will cause hearing damage), you only need 2.5mW of power. While Schiit doesn't publish a 600 ohm power spec on the Fulla 2, I doubt it's less than 3mW @ 600O, given that it has 40mW @ 300O. You could probably email them and ask them, if you're curious.

That said, if you like to listen at really loud levels, the Fulla 2 definitely won't work for you, because power requirements for volume increase exponentially. You'd need around 8mW for 105dB, and 25mW for 110dB, neither of which I would count on the Fulla 2 would provide. On the other hand, if you prefer to keep things quieter, with peaks around 90dB, you'd only need ~0.25mW, and you'd almost surely have tons of headroom.


Unlike whaiyun, I found that the Fulla 2 drove my HD 650s significantly beyond the volume level I would consider comfortable for consistent listening, to the point that I found myself lowering digital volume just to give myself more range on the volume control. The HD 6xx series headphones have sensitivity around 97dB/mW. If you push the Fulla 2's rated 40mW into that, it's going to produce around 113dB. If you're someone that likes going to rock concerts where they amp everything to an insane level (often around 120dB near the front), then you might enjoy that, but I would consider it a form of torture.

Ultimately, it comes down to your personal listening preferences. If you know you like cranking the volume, I would look for a solution with non-USB power. If you listen at moderate or quiet levels, you're not likely to run out of power with any desktop amplifier.

It's loud but not sounding well. Distortion probably.

 

[Baldr]

Once upon a time, just after the fall of Rome, there were invented these things called potentiometers, or “pots” for short. For clarification, not the cooking or smoking kind. A very common use for them was audio volume control. They were prevalent everywhere in the world of audio and video until twenty or thirty years ago, when they began to be replaced by digital devices. Pots were typically devices which adjusted according to their turning distance. They are inherently analog and allow for an infinite number of “steps” which are common to todays stepped digital controls which lack the ability to adjust perfectly to the desired volume level.
 
This is of course, the big knob on the Fulla2. The advantage is the “feel” of the control and the ability to adjust to a precise (not stepped) level. Another advantage is that because they are passive devices, they add no noise or distortion (read bad sounding artifacts) to the sound. Jason and myself adjudge those to be not just advantages, but a HUGE ones. There are two chief disadvantages to pots: The first is that they are expensive in the context of cheap-ass digital volume control chips. The second is that they are tapered in their resistance to match the human ear – what that means in the real world is that as the volume gets down to the lowest levels, the element in the pot gets thinner and thinner which makes it harder and harder to maintain equal resistance. This results in a channel to channel balance which worsens over the lowest 15% or so of the range of the pot as it approaches zero.
 
Since the typical volume levels we use are much higher than that, we are not bothered in the least by the taper problem, given their sonic advantages; after all, we listen at much higher levels. If a channel imbalance at levels far lower than you listen bothers you, then you need to look elsewhere. Please be aware that we chose the pot for the sound and precision, advantages which will not be found in digital chip volume controls.
 
Now please understand it is possible to design precise digitally controlled volume pots, such as the ones in our much more expensive Saga and Freya - they are just off the table for a Fulla2 sized and priced unit.

 

[trellus]

I am a fan of pots -- have the original Fulla, think it's superb given the price -- they just feel "right" for adjusting volume, and channel imbalance at very low volumes doesn't really bother me.

 

[audiofrog]

  Just order one, it looks perfect to take when I travel as an all-in-one solution and at home I'll just use it as a DAC (replacing my Aune T1)

 

I have an Aune T1 and just tried out the Fulla 2 at Cam Jam and loved the Fulla 2. Can you let me know your impressions comparing the two? 
 
I wish I had brought my Aune T1 to CamJam for comparison. Love the Aune T1 WHEN it is working properly- great tube sound and tube rolling really does make a difference. But with the Aune T1, I have periodic deafening noise that occasionally occurs. I had my unit replaced by the company; however, the noise continues to occur. Will check in the Aune T1 forum if anyone has any ideas why this occurs. 

 

[Alamei]

  ...
 
This is of course, the big knob on the Fulla2. The advantage is the “feel” of the control and the ability to adjust to a precise (not stepped) level. Another advantage is that because they are passive devices, they add no noise or distortion (read bad sounding artifacts) to the sound. Jason and myself adjudge those to be not just advantages, but a HUGE ones. There are two chief disadvantages to pots: The first is that they are expensive in the context of cheap-ass digital volume control chips. The second is that they are tapered in their resistance to match the human ear – what that means in the real world is that as the volume gets down to the lowest levels, the element in the pot gets thinner and thinner which makes it harder and harder to maintain equal resistance. This results in a channel to channel balance which worsens over the lowest 15% or so of the range of the pot as it approaches zero.
 
Since the typical volume levels we use are much higher than that, we are not bothered in the least by the taper problem, given their sonic advantages; after all, we listen at much higher levels. If a channel imbalance at levels far lower than you listen bothers you, then you need to look elsewhere. Please be aware that we chose the pot for the sound and precision, advantages which will not be found in digital chip volume controls.
 
Now please understand it is possible to design precise digitally controlled volume pots, such as the ones in our much more expensive Saga and Freya - they are just off the table for a Fulla2 sized and priced unit.

 
I agree with you heartily about the fundamental benefits of potentiometers (I still prefer a finely stepped attenuator any day of the week, but those are obviously out of the question in this price range). In fact, the analog pot is the reason I picked up a Fulla 2. It's the first cheap DAC/Amp all-in-one I've seen with a nice, large volume control. With that said, when you say "Since the typical volume levels we use are much higher than [the bottom 15% of the pot]," I think you're underestimating the low end of volume levels that people enjoy listening at, especially on an amp with fixed gain.

I just received my replacement Fulla 2 (kudos to Schiit for a smooth exchange process), and the channel imbalance is a bit better than my first (stops around 8:30 instead of around 9:00), but it still requires significant attenuation in the digital stage to reach what I consider listenable levels in the balanced range of the pot. Maybe I'm the only that likes listening to my music and movies at a conversational level (60-65dB) through headphones?
 
Driving my HD 558s (50 Ohm, 112dB/V), if I leave the digital volume at 100% and set the Fulla 2's volume pot to 9 o'clock (giving a little bit of space to move down while staying in the balanced range), I measured ~87 dB out from a 1KHz test tone. To get back to my preferred conversational listening levels, I have to pull the digital volume down to ~20%. Driving my HD 650s (300 Ohm, 103 dB/V), 100% @ 9 o'clock produces ~81 dB, which requires a digital volume of ~30% to get back to conversational levels.

After some experimentation, I don't feel like there's any noticeable signal degradation with the lower digital volume (since Windows upscales all audio to 32-bit before attenuating in recent operating systems, I suppose the quantization errors will be similar regardless of volume level), so I'll probably still hold on to the Fulla 2 for the sheer convenience factor it brings. However, I wouldn't recommend it to those who are intent on keeping their signal path "clean" (i.e., 100% volume all through the digital stage).
 
For reference, my other "cheap" amp (a Massdrop O2) has a little channel imbalance on the low end as well, but it cuts off after around 7.5% of the pot (7:45) instead of the 15-20% (8:30-9:00) on the Fulla 2. Given that the two are the same price and the latter includes a full DAC, my guess is Schiit just had to use a slightly cheaper volume pot to keep costs down.

 

[Sencha]

I thought the fuller 2 was a decent little device. But I would have happily paid more for better build quality.

 

[ld100]

I thought the fuller 2 was a decent little device. But I would have happily paid more for better build quality.

 
I agree a 100%.