[golfbravobravo]

I was surprised to hear that the broadcast engendered the books, not the usual book first. If true, the broadcast is the definitive version.

That is the case. It was a Radio4 broadcast.

 

[tincanear]

Got that t-shirt on order. Douglas Adams was a genius.

I was catching up on a couple of the Schiiter videos on Youtube which did it's usual spooky voodoo majik and started showing me additional interviews with Jason talking Schiit. There is a great four part interview with Jason on the Passion for Sound channel - part 1 is here: Passion for Sound interview with Jason Stoddard, Part 1. In part 3, Jason's description of Mjolnir 2 architecture - in high gain it's running open loop, no overall feedback, and his description of it's sound as being warm, fun, big, happy is what I love about it. Sadly, a few weeks back my Mjolnir started acting up with a weird volume control issue and needed to go back for repair. No big deal. Stuff does break sometimes. Easy to make the repair process happen, their customer service rocks.

While the Mjolnir was in for repair, I pulled out my Valhalla 2, and swapped the DC 'phones for Drop HE-4XX (HiFiMan), which are an entry drug into planar headphones unto themselves. This is what I was listening to before the MJ & DC EC purchases. The HE-4XX are relatively easy to drive and reasonably efficient at 93db and 35 ohms. Yeah, I know, the idea of the OTL tube amp driving a pair of planars doesn't compute, this really shouldn't work. But damn does it ever. The bass is articulate, not tubby, but yet doesn't quite have the slam like the planars can do when there's some current behind them. But still very very listenable. Even with the electronica/chill bass heavy tunes I often listen to. Doesn't go to disco dance floor volume, but is more than adequate for extended listening.

Remembering how much I didn't like the sound of the MJ when I swapped out the Schiit provided GE 6BZ7s for the 6n1p's borrowed from the Valhalla, I swapped in the Raytheon 6BQ7As I used in the MJ. This is fun. Not endgame, but damn, it's way better than it should be for the amount of money I've spent. Warm, fun, big and happy indeed! The MJ came back from repair earlier this week and I've not yet set it back up, that's how much fun this version of the Valhalla and HE-4XX has been.

Well the weather here in Vermont is doing it's usual psychotic Springtime weirdness. It's sunny, 37F and snowing. Love when the weather can't make up it's mind so it does everything all at once. Time to get some other things done.

For me, it's all about the fun and joy the music brings. Find the gear that makes it fun and you happy. Thank you, Schiit for making it really easy and affordable to do that.

interesting that Valhalla 2 can drive those planars. The power rating is 300mW into 300 ohms / 340mW into 600 ohms, so likely current-limited into lower impedances and therefore maybe only 40mW (or less) into the 35 ohm load, which would still get 106dB or so full tilt.

IIRC Valhalla 2 takes 6N6P (6H6N) for the output driver tubes, and those were only produced in Russia. wonder how big the world's stockpile of those is? especially if Jason's 10-tuber (which uses 8x of those, presumably in two matched quads) is released to production and becomes a popular item.

 

[bcowen]

My name is artur9 and I am an audiophile.
First, I got a modi and I heard violins sound stringy and I needed moar.
Then I got a closed back headphone and I could hear bass guitar and I needed moar.
Then ....

It's been 18 days since I bought audio equipment <clap, clap>.

Darn thing is, I need some new power and subwoofer cables so my streak will come to an end.

ROFL!!! And after the cables, you'll need some tubes....

 

[Ableza]

Should be lots of ECC99's out in the world...

 

[AviP]

Racism. We don't want black people to vote.

As someone who doesn't live in the US, I've never understood that one. You can literally walk into a polling station in some states and just say the name on anyone who lives nearby and they'll let you vote without any ID. It just boggles my mind. In just about any country you need to show ID when voting.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voter_identification_laws

Honestly, when I hear people say it's racist because certain racial groups don't have ID, it makes me wonder whether people who think that are racist, I mean who doesn't have some form of ID? Maybe I'm wrong and the US is different in that respect, if so, please enlighten me.

 

[tincanear]

Should be lots of ECC99's out in the world...

are ECC99 the same thing as 6N6P / 6H6N or just bigger than average small-signal triodes ??

 

[liamo]

I suggest you just look at the legislation currently being adopted in Arizona, Georgia etc. then come back. Funny how you didn’t mention closing polling stations where black people live, closing Sunday voting etc., etc. Seems there’s no problem collecting taxes from these folks but voting?

 

[Ableza]

are ECC99 the same thing as 6N6P / 6H6N or just bigger than average small-signal triodes ??

They are functionally equivalent to 6N6P. Slightly different current draw but basically plug and play replacements.

 

[Ableza]

As someone who doesn't live in the US, I've never understood that one. You can literally walk into a polling station in some states and just say the name on anyone who lives nearby and they'll let you vote without any ID.

No, that's not really how it works.

 

[tincanear]

They are functionally equivalent to 6N6P. Slightly different current draw but basically plug and play replacements.

just wondering why for Valhalla 2 there is only 6N6P specified for the output tubes and not 6N6P / ECC99... perhaps @Jason Stoddard can answer that.

 

[tincanear]

As someone who doesn't live in the US, I've never understood that one. You can literally walk into a polling station in some states and just say the name on anyone who lives nearby and they'll let you vote without any ID. It just boggles my mind. In just about any country you need to show ID when voting.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voter_identification_laws

Honestly, when I hear people say it's racist because certain racial groups don't have ID, it makes me wonder whether people who think that are racist, I mean who doesn't have some form of ID? Maybe I'm wrong and the US is different in that respect, if so, please enlighten me.

In California USA, there is no ID required to vote (and polling personnel are prohibited from asking you for one). you just have to give them a name and address that matches one on the registered voter list, and with multiple days of in-person voting/ multiple permitted polling places, one individual could cast multiple votes, and be difficult to track down. CA voting procedures definitely lack of some basic safeguards, but likely the incumbency likes it that way (or they would have changed the procedures via legislation).

voter suppression / closing of selected polling places / lack of transparency in the counting process / prevention of independent auditing of the vote tally is always a disservice the citizenry.

 

[AudioGal]

interesting that Valhalla 2 can drive those planars. The power rating is 300mW into 300 ohms / 340mW into 600 ohms, so likely current-limited into lower impedances and therefore maybe only 40mW (or less) into the 35 ohm load, which would still get 106dB or so full tilt.

IIRC Valhalla 2 takes 6N6P (6H6N) for the output driver tubes, and those were only produced in Russia. wonder how big the world's stockpile of those is? especially if Jason's 10-tuber (which uses 8x of those, presumably in two matched quads) is released to production and becomes a popular item.

In part 4 of that interview Jason was discussing output power of the various amplifiers. If I'm remembering correctly, the Valhalla 2 maxes out at 60ma. Which is 126mW into 35 ohms, though you start hearing the limits of the amplifier before you get that far out.

Yes, 6n6p for the output tube. There are a lot of them out there. If Jason's 10-tuber sees the light of day, I'll be in line for one. I'd love to have a lower output impedance (without resorting to lots of negative feedback to get there) and a bit more current to a little slam back to bottom end of the HE-4XX 'phones.

 

[tincanear]

In part 4 of that interview Jason was discussing output power of the various amplifiers. If I'm remembering correctly, the Valhalla 2 maxes out at 60ma. Which is 126mW into 35 ohms, though you start hearing the limits of the amplifier before you get that far out.

Yes, 6n6p for the output tube. There are a lot of them out there. If Jason's 10-tuber sees the light of day, I'll be in line for one. I'd love to have a lower output impedance (without resorting to lots of negative feedback to get there) and a bit more current to a little slam back to bottom end of the HE-4XX 'phones.

if the 60mA is plate/ cathode standing bias current, then RMS power is only 63mW assuming symmetrical current swing capability... more parallel output devices = more max current. worse than HE-4XX (for OTL or other output current-limited topologies), most DCA planars are 12 to 16 ohms and about 90-93 dB/mW efficiency

 

[Ableza]

one individual could cast multiple votes,

I think the documented cases of that happening approach zero.

 

[tincanear]

Got that t-shirt on order. Douglas Adams was a genius.

I was catching up on a couple of the Schiiter videos on Youtube which did it's usual spooky voodoo majik and started showing me additional interviews with Jason talking Schiit. There is a great four part interview with Jason on the Passion for Sound channel - part 1 is here: Passion for Sound interview with Jason Stoddard, Part 1. In part 3, Jason's description of Mjolnir 2 architecture - in high gain it's running open loop, no overall feedback, and his description of it's sound as being warm, fun, big, happy is what I love about it. Sadly, a few weeks back my Mjolnir started acting up with a weird volume control issue and needed to go back for repair. No big deal. Stuff does break sometimes. Easy to make the repair process happen, their customer service rocks.

While the Mjolnir was in for repair, I pulled out my Valhalla 2, and swapped the DC 'phones for Drop HE-4XX (HiFiMan), which are an entry drug into planar headphones unto themselves. This is what I was listening to before the MJ & DC EC purchases. The HE-4XX are relatively easy to drive and reasonably efficient at 93db and 35 ohms. Yeah, I know, the idea of the OTL tube amp driving a pair of planars doesn't compute, this really shouldn't work. But damn does it ever. The bass is articulate, not tubby, but yet doesn't quite have the slam like the planars can do when there's some current behind them. But still very very listenable. Even with the electronica/chill bass heavy tunes I often listen to. Doesn't go to disco dance floor volume, but is more than adequate for extended listening.

Remembering how much I didn't like the sound of the MJ when I swapped out the Schiit provided GE 6BZ7s for the 6n1p's borrowed from the Valhalla, I swapped in the Raytheon 6BQ7As I used in the MJ. This is fun. Not endgame, but damn, it's way better than it should be for the amount of money I've spent. Warm, fun, big and happy indeed! The MJ came back from repair earlier this week and I've not yet set it back up, that's how much fun this version of the Valhalla and HE-4XX has been.

Well the weather here in Vermont is doing it's usual psychotic Springtime weirdness. It's sunny, 37F and snowing. Love when the weather can't make up it's mind so it does everything all at once. Time to get some other things done.

For me, it's all about the fun and joy the music brings. Find the gear that makes it fun and you happy. Thank you, Schiit for making it really easy and affordable to do that.

+1 for posting those links to Jason's interviews...