[wout31]

Agree with the latter; not so much with the former.
Different strokes for different folks, but I hate when I have something that I know is not my endgame and I spend time wondering how much better the endgame would be instead of enjoying my music. I'm much happier now that I've got my endgame setup than I ever was when it comes to this hobby.
Of course "best", "endgame", and the like are all very subjective.

I only know what my "endgame" was when I leave this planet.
Before that, the journey is often more important or at least just as fascinating to me as the result.
Reading Jason's chapters about what new gear might or might not come is one of those pleasures.
Knowing that I have my endgame gear now would be very boring to me. YMMV.

I'm still hoping for a superduper phono pre-amp with several presets for different cartridges.
What is the use of easy swapping the arm on Sol if after that you have to lift and turn Mani to fiddle with the dip switches for new settings.
I'm very anxious to learn about new amps to come. Urd Etc. etc. etc
No endgame for me yet. Doesn't mean I don't like my setup as it is now. I do, very much.

 

[valiant66]

So....

I had a zoom conversation with a friend yesterday and I joked about all the CDS on the shelves in the background. He said they are just artifacts now, he doesn't even have a CD player anymore. Said he's got speakers mounted on the walls but nothing to drive them with. He and his wife listen to music through mono Bluetooth speakers now. I asked if he would be interested in headphones and he said yes!

So Since his source is usually an iphone, what would you recommend for a beginner setup? I was going to suggest the mass 6XX and something from Schiit, but they don't do Bluetooth and I don't know if a wired connection to a phone even works - I've never needed to try since I've been in this game so long.

I could recommend the Hel for his business zooms, but then I would need different headphones.

Any suggestions or advice?
.

 

[433521]

Was anyone else as alarmed as I was to read that Monopolist is buying up all the cardboard in the area?

Want to put the new politicians to the test and see if they'll stand up to big business? Are there any state anti-trust rules?

On the top face of the FTC website is a 'report fraud' that includes 'bad business practices'. Now I don't expect they will be anxious to take up the charge for Schiit v Monopolist but we keep talking about UNITY. I can't think of someone we all agree on more than this!

 

[rkw]

The Vali is certainly a great starting point and it can use 6sn7 equivalent tubes. The Lyr 3 and Freya + use the 6sn7 as well. Tubes can be very expensive but Fotons from the fifties can still be bought at reasonable prices as well as single triode tubes such as 6j5's and 7A4's.

He said he's new to the audio world. I think you've just scared him off from ever considering tubes.

 

[Paladin79]

He said he's new to the audio world. I think you've just scared him off from ever considering tubes.

There is some learning involved with tubes. Sorry if these look scary.
I was showing some of the diversity the Vali can handle.

 

[ev666il]

So Since his source is usually an iphone, what would you recommend for a beginner setup?

Modi 3+, Magni 3+, and AKG K371.

 

[zachsvc]

There is some learning involved with tubes. Sorry if these look scary.
I was showing some of the diversity the Vali can handle.

It didn’t scare me off lol but it did make me think that maybe my first amp should be more plug and play. And I’ll get a hybrid or tube amp once I’m more knowledgeable about them.

 

[Derrick Swart]

From the opposite perspective I have the Vali 2 but have never heard the Asgard 3, and the 6XX pairs quite nicely with the Vali 2 as well. I don't have the (newest) Vali 2+, but imagine the pairing with it wouldn't be substantially different. You'll get more power into the 300 ohm impedance of the 6XX's with the Asgard 3, but the 400mw the Vali 2 puts out into 300 ohms is plenty sufficient to get to very loud listening levels with the high sensitivity of the 6XX's. You also get the ability to fine tune the sound with the Vali 2 by trying different tubes, although the seemingly infinite size of that rabbit hole is legendary.

Same here, nice combo HD6xx and Vali2 (now with Sovtek tube)

 

[TheTechQ]

So....

I had a zoom conversation with a friend yesterday and I joked about all the CDS on the shelves in the background. He said they are just artifacts now, he doesn't even have a CD player anymore. Said he's got speakers mounted on the walls but nothing to drive them with. He and his wife listen to music through mono Bluetooth speakers now. I asked if he would be interested in headphones and he said yes!

So Since his source is usually an iphone, what would you recommend for a beginner setup? I was going to suggest the mass 6XX and something from Schiit, but they don't do Bluetooth and I don't know if a wired connection to a phone even works - I've never needed to try since I've been in this game so long.

I could recommend the Hel for his business zooms, but then I would need different headphones.

Any suggestions or advice?
.

Lightening to USB 3 Camera adapter will let your friend power their iPhone and connect which ever Schiit product he would like. Verified with a Modius and Bifrost 2.

 

[tincanear]

I only know what my "endgame" was when I leave this planet.
Before that, the journey is often more important or at least just as fascinating to me as the result.
Reading Jason's chapters about what new gear might or might not come is one of those pleasures.
Knowing that I have my endgame gear now would be very boring to me. YMMV.

I'm still hoping for a superduper phono pre-amp with several presets for different cartridges.
What is the use of easy swapping the arm on Sol if after that you have to lift and turn Mani to fiddle with the dip switches for new settings.
I'm very anxious to learn about new amps to come. Urd Etc. etc. etc
No endgame for me yet. Doesn't mean I don't like my setup as it is now. I do, very much.

how about more than one mani? if you have a Saga or Freya pre that can take multiple analog sources...

 

[Rensek]

Thanks for all the replies. I was going to try using my Motu M2 as a dac early on. Should I assume it won’t be sufficient? If so, I’ll go ahead and order a dac as well. As far as amps I think I’m going to go with the Asgard first. And I’ll get the Vali later this year so I can experiment with tubes.

That piece of equipment should work quite well as a dac for you. Has an ESS Sabre dac chip in it.

If it were me I'd buy the Asgard 3 or Vali 2 and use the dac in your current equipment. Then after a few months of getting used to the sound, you could try adding a different piece of equipment to see how you like it and how much change in sound you actually hear.

I've been pleased adding pieces in increments. Nice way to see if you can actually hear and appreciate the changes..I started out with some 50 Massdrop. AKGs, then a Magni 3, then HD6XXs, then a Modi Multibit.

I bought some B-stock/refurbished Focal Clears for 900 a few weeks ago. Now im rocking a Bifrost 2, Ragnarok 2, Focal Clears. Its been a fun journey over the last three plus years, adding a few pieces a year, and seeing how each component influences what your ears hear.

 

[tafens]

I so badly want to order the Lyr 3 but there seems to be an indefinite delay for 230 V transformer part

I pray to Odin to help the 230 V parts come through.

I know how you feel, I had a delay for the exact same reason when I ordered a Lyr3 middle December two years ago now (time flies). If I remember correctly it finally arrived about a month later, just about this time of January.
It was well worth the wait though!

 

[macdonjh]

Thanks for all the replies. I was going to try using my Motu M2 as a dac early on. Should I assume it won’t be sufficient? If so, I’ll go ahead and order a dac as well. As far as amps I think I’m going to go with the Asgard first. And I’ll get the Vali later this year so I can experiment with tubes.

Welcome to the thread.

"Should I assume it won't be sufficient?" If it functions and will pass an analog signal to your Asgard, how could it not be sufficient? You may not like the sound, but it will play music. Using what you have is a great way to start. I'm sure shortly after getting your Asgard you'll be able to post comments like, "I really like my new Asgard, but..." Then folks here will be able to make suggestions for changes you could make.

I was reasonably happy with my my home headphone gear: A&K DAP feeding analog out to my Mjolnir I. I just didn't like how high I had to turn it up to get full bass response. Eventually I wanted to sample multi-bit, so I bought a Bifrost I MB soon after the Bifrost II was released. Adding the Bifrost fixed that which was surprising to me. I may try to find a Bifrost I D/S to compare and see how much of the difference I hear is due to the external DAC and how much is due to multi-bit specifically. Fun stuff.

Good luck, you're starting on a crazy winding path.

 

[valiant66]

Lightening to USB 3 Camera adapter will let your friend power their iPhone and connect which ever Schiit product he would like. Verified with a Modius and Bifrost 2.

Will a normal Lightening-to-USB charging cable drive a USB DAC?
.

 

[macdonjh]

In a year (or so) try some other Schiit gear. Who knows what Jason has come up with.
Have fun

He has to wait a year before buying more Schiit? Why, just 'cause he's the new guy?

Agree with the latter; not so much with the former.

Different strokes for different folks, but I hate when I have something that I know is not my endgame and I spend time wondering how much better the endgame would be instead of enjoying my music. I'm much happier now that I've got my endgame setup than I ever was when it comes to this hobby.

Of course "best", "endgame", and the like are all very subjective.

I was going to say, "How will he know what his end game is without some experience with different gear?", but @Paladin79 and others beat me to it.