[SK2000]

Hey guys,

I needed some suggestions since Im a complete audio noob and looking to get the best bang for the buck.

I've recently started into the audiophile world, bought an Asus STX II sound card and currently own an AKG K712, also have an HD6xx on the way, the drop is supposed to be shipped in December.

I didn't know anything about the headphone dac and amps so I purchased the soundcard late last yr, I wanted to really try the super high end stuff and I thought a $250 sound card must be the best thing out there LOL, and also ended up buying the decent headphones as well.

I've always have had the $20 earphones and I thought spending like $500-600 for personal audio experience would be like the most high end, but of course I'm beginning to discover things now.

In near future, may be 1-2 yrs I wanna buy the Schit Gungnir Multibit + Mjolnir 2 the sold state and tube hybrid. Im trying to get the best possible stuff I can get without having to spend like $5000+ for each equipment, and also will probably sell my two headphones and get an HD800/s.

I also need a good pair of monitors and Im eyeing Yamaha HS7's with sub (HS8S). Do you guys think my headphone dac and amp would work great with the HS7's? Would it not matter such a high price gap between these two different products, I mean for the price range of HS7's, wouldn't speding $500-600 on dac/amp be sufficient, but again I will have HD800 as well to drive.

Is their another pair of monitors can you guys suggest that would take proper advantage of the Gungnir Multibit + Mjolnir 2 and produce best possible sound for me. Once I have monitors, I'll probably be listening to them more than my headphones.

Thanks for helping me out here!!

Ps. I might end up buying a guitar (esp e II series) + all the amps and accessories and will be recording music than so will need some decent audio playback equipment anyways.

 

[Music Alchemist]

After owning/hearing many of the best headphones, I got JBL LSR305 monitors and ended up liking them a lot more than headphones. I discovered that the amps in some DAC/amps colored the sound quite a bit compared to using them in DAC only mode with the Schiit SYS passive preamp. I'd imagine that the Mjolnir 2 as a preamp would color the sound compared to using a passive preamp that costs a lot less, especially if you're using tubes. (I know that you still might want it for headphones, though this wouldn't apply if you decided to focus on speakers.)

You used the word sufficient, but this is vague. You can get "sufficient" sound with a DAC under $100, but it won't sound nearly as good as a high-end DAC. I bought a Chord 2Qute for $1,300, and it was definitely the best DAC I've owned...but it made more sense financially to use something more affordable when my current speakers only cost me $250, so I got another Mojo. I used the 2Qute with the SYS, but the Mojo can also be a digital preamp, so I'm using it without the SYS now. (Side note: With the HD 800, the differences between the $500 Mojo and $4,300 430HAD were minimal, in my experience.) I have not heard the Gungnir Multibit, but online impressions say it's comparable to or better than the 2Qute, so I'm sure it's great. (The best Schiit DAC I've had is the Modi Multibit, which is my favorite non-Chord DAC so far.)

There's just the issue of how much you want to spend on the electronics relative to how much you spend on the headphones/speakers. What you could do is start out with cheaper electronics when you're in the process of deciding whether you want to keep both the headphones and speakers.

If you're going to be buying the equipment a year or two from now, though, it would be a good idea to seek out auditions at meets/shops. This could save you a lot of trouble, and you may find things you prefer over what you listed.

 

[SK2000]

After owning/hearing many of the best headphones, I got JBL LSR305 monitors and ended up liking them a lot more than headphones. I discovered that the amps in some DAC/amps colored the sound quite a bit compared to using them in DAC only mode with the Schiit SYS passive preamp. I'd imagine that the Mjolnir 2 as a preamp would color the sound compared to using a passive preamp that costs a lot less, especially if you're using tubes. (I know that you still might want it for headphones, though this wouldn't apply if you decided to focus on speakers.)

You used the word sufficient, but this is vague. You can get "sufficient" sound with a DAC under $100, but it won't sound nearly as good as a high-end DAC. I bought a Chord 2Qute for $1,300, and it was definitely the best DAC I've owned...but it made more sense financially to use something more affordable when my current speakers only cost me $250, so I got another Mojo. I used the 2Qute with the SYS, but the Mojo can also be a digital preamp, so I'm using it without the SYS now. (Side note: With the HD 800, the differences between the $500 Mojo and $4,300 430HAD were minimal, in my experience.) I have not heard the Gungnir Multibit, but online impressions say it's comparable to or better than the 2Qute, so I'm sure it's great. (The best Schiit DAC I've had is the Modi Multibit, which is my favorite non-Chord DAC so far.)

There's just the issue of how much you want to spend on the electronics relative to how much you spend on the headphones/speakers. What you could do is start out with cheaper electronics when you're in the process of deciding whether you want to keep both the headphones and speakers.

If you're going to be buying the equipment a year or two from now, though, it would be a good idea to seek out auditions at meets/shops. This could save you a lot of trouble, and you may find things you prefer over what you listed.

Hey Music Alchemist,

Thank you so much for the great detailed reply. It's absolutely correct that I should be visiting auditions and trying out the equipment, but currently my schedule doesn't allow me a lot of free time, working like 6 days a week right now. It was my dream that I could just test out all these fine electronics and go from there what I find most audibly pleasing and satisfying.

Also, I'm kinda rusted on what exactly the prearmps are for vs the amps. I had the impression that the preamps are generally for volume control? I guess not.

If you don't mind, would you just very briefly tell me the difference between amps and preamps, and also do you need both in your audio set up or one or the other are fine?

 

[Music Alchemist]

If you don't mind, would you just very briefly tell me the difference between amps and preamps, and also do you need both in your audio set up or one or the other are fine?

For active speakers such as the ones you want, you would need a preamp to control the volume, yes. Passive preamps (such as the $49 Schiit SYS) have no electronics and just attenuate the analog signal from your DAC without altering it, whereas some active preamps and amps (including when you use them as a preamp) can alter the sound.

You could use the Mjolnir 2 as both a headphone amp and preamp for the speakers, but it seems likely to me that it would sound more colored as a preamp compared to the SYS.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amplifier
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preamplifier

 

[SK2000]

For active speakers such as the ones you want, you would need a preamp to control the volume, yes. Passive preamps (such as the $49 Schiit SYS) have no electronics and just attenuate the analog signal from your DAC without altering it, whereas some active preamps and amps (including when you use them as a preamp) can alter the sound.

You could use the Mjolnir 2 as both a headphone amp and preamp for the speakers, but it seems likely to me that it would sound more colored as a preamp compared to the SYS.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amplifier
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preamplifier

Oh I see. Thanks a lot once again for sharing the valuable info!

 

[buke9]

I think your on the right track with the Gumby as I have the Yggy and it is fantastic as a dac. The MJ2 is also a very good amp and will be a good pre amp for speakers as well. I can't talk much on monitors as I've only owned one pair and they were passive with a amp . Hafler M5 Reference and a TA1100 Hafler amp and they are quite good. I used to do a bit of recording but not so much now. I also play guitar but haven't done so in a while. ESP makes some nice stuff I have a Guild Aviator with a Roland GR-30 synth pickup and a USA Fender Telecaster and two Martins a D-28 and a OOO-15 full mahogany just super smooth.

 

[SK2000]

Very interesting Buke, thanks for sharing. I just had one more confusion, when you guys say using the headphones amp as a 'preamp', I mean wouldnt a Mjolnir 2 play a similar role and REALLY enhance the sound of the monitors, as it would do to the headphones, instead of merely being a volume control. I know MA already said that it would make monitors sound a bit more colorful, but lets say if the monitors/any set of speakers cannot take the full advantage of an expensive set of dac and amp, than I might stick with the current headphones I have and just buy $500-600 dollars worth of the dac amp combo upgrade, from the sound card I currently have. It makes more sense because the pair of monitors would be priced similar as well instead of paying like 4x higher price than the monitors themselves in getting a much higher end dac and amp..

 

[SK2000]

can I still use Gungnir MB + Mjolnir 2 as dac & amp for the monitors and use SYS as the preamp/volume control, would that make any sense?

 

[theveterans]

No need for sys unless you need an input switch. Use Mjolnir 2's volume control instead of getting a sys IMO. Mjolnir 2's preamp outs are still active even when a headphone is inserted.

 

[SK2000]

hmm that makes more sense. Thanks!!

 

[Music Alchemist]

can I still use Gungnir MB + Mjolnir 2 as dac & amp for the monitors and use SYS as the preamp/volume control, would that make any sense?

So basically what you're saying is that you want to have the (likely) more colored sound of the tubes in the Mjolnir 2 with the speakers as well. I'm not sure how the preamp works in that amp. It may have the same coloration or it may bypass some or all of it despite it being active. You could connect the SYS to it, but I wouldn't know how each combination affects the sound without being able to hear it. The SYS is probably not worth bothering with if you don't want to connect it directly to a DAC. It makes a soft scratching sound when you adjust the volume anyway. (Lots of cheap gear does that.)

 

[SK2000]

yup that's what I exactly meant, to be able to use the tubes of the Mjolnir 2 with the speakers as well and produce more colored sound out of them.

its all kinda tricky since I haven't been able to experiment around with all these electronics. I hope I can find a store that keeps the dac/amps im interested in as well as the speakers. Its hard to find everything at one store, so its much easier shopping for things online and you get better deal a lot of times as well.

 

[Music Alchemist]

I hope I can find a store that keeps the dac/amps im interested in as well as the speakers.

If you're willing to do some traveling, here's Schiit Audio's retail store: http://www.schiit.com/schiitr

And here's the link for Head-Fi meets: https://www.head-fi.org/forums/local-regional-head-fi-meets-parties-get-togethers.24/

 

[SK2000]

oh wow thanks for the heads up. Im in Toronto, I dont think I'll be traveling to the US any time soon due to the busy work schedule, but will definitely keep in check Toronto area's meet and greets.

 

[buke9]

By all means hit up a meet if it's anywhere close to you. Everyone I've met at meets have been really great to talk to and always really good gear at most of them.