[AstronomerXI]

Agreed 100% regarding the Crack. I built a Crack 1.0 and listened to it happily for over a year with Senn HD600s. After replacing the loading resistors with the Speedball C4S (Camille Cascode Constant Current Source) upgrade, the amp was transformed with regard to speed and resolution. Highly recommended; just be aware that while the Crack is a beginner-level kit, the Speedball (at least the v1.0 upgrade) was not... a bit more intricate work involved there.

I thought that at least at one time, Doc offered assembly on some of the kits; not sure about the Speedball. But if you buy a Crack, you definitely want a Speedball...

And I'm sure that Tom can direct you to some Coke-can-sized upgrade capacitors, too. <g>

All of this being said, I would rather listen to my Schiit Jotunheim 1 (w/the True Muitibit card) today, with my Senn HD650s. But that's just me, YMMV.

Thanks for your thoughts on this. I've been hemming and hawing over the Valhalla 2 for sale with additional tubes nearby, but I keep looking at the rolling options on the Crack and the promise of a tubier sound.

 

[Plautus001]

I'm waiting for an improved multibit card for the Asgard 3. With Unison and stuff.

What's the best headphone to pair with my AS3? Currently using a DT770Pro...

Part of the reason I am such a big fan of the Asgard 3 is it sounds good to great with everything I have thrown at it.

Planers, Senns, Grados, you name it. If I was to keep only 1 amp, it would be the Asgard 3; however, like many others I like having extra amps for extra "flavours", so I have some other amps I use for specific pairings and music.

 

[Chucked]

100%

I received my Yggy OG yesterday after have sent it back for the + upgrade. Long story short, IMHO it was money well spent. I like the new chassis, remote (yaay) and the aspect it hopefully will not return to the mothership for future upgrades. Sitting next to my LIM, it certainly looks better, will probably send the LIM for it's upgrade soon. Thanks to Jason, Mike, Dave, Ivana and the folks at Schiit for offering this upgrade, most manufacturers would just depricate the old and sell something "new". One more thing, my Folkvanger works just dandy as a sometimes "effects" box. When one wishes to dance on the third rail of flavors, this it's just the thang!

 

[Tensen]

Where did you find it?

Amazon music has a huge selection of Chesky recordings. Unfortunately not able to search for it that way. What I did was go to the Chesky recordings website, then search on Amazon music for those recordings. It’s quite an amazing and enjoyable rabbit hole. Thanks go to this thread for bringing it to my attention!!!

Ps: some of the Casey Abrahms ( of American Idol fame) recordings are really interesting.
Pss: I just got done listening to Macy Grey “Stripped”. Well worth a listen!

 

[Paladin79]

Amazon music has a huge selection of Chesky recordings. Unfortunately not able to search for it that way. What I did was go to the Chesky recordings website, then search on Amazon music for those recordings. It’s quite an amazing and enjoyable rabbit hole. Thanks go to this thread for bringing it to my attention!!!

Ps: some of the Casey Abrahms ( of American Idol fame) recordings are really interesting.
Pss: I just got done listening to Macy Grey “Stripped”. Well worth a listen!

There is a point in a Casey Abraham’s song where a sax player circles the crash test dummy recording device that is a lot of fun with headphones. I think the song is Robot Love but I am going from memory.

 

[JanMc]

Amazon music has a huge selection of Chesky recordings. Unfortunately not able to search for it that way. What I did was go to the Chesky recordings website, then search on Amazon music for those recordings. It’s quite an amazing and enjoyable rabbit hole. Thanks go to this thread for bringing it to my attention!!!

Ps: some of the Casey Abrahms ( of American Idol fame) recordings are really interesting.
Pss: I just got done listening to Macy Grey “Stripped”. Well worth a listen!

Yeah, I really like his version of Have you ever seen the rain. Not that the CCR version isn't great as well.

Except for being a little too 'how to say it - emotionally challenged?' I really like Meiko as well.

 

[Plautus001]

I received my Yggy OG yesterday after have sent it back for the + upgrade. Long story short, IMHO it was money well spent. I like the new chassis, remote (yaay) and the aspect it hopefully will not return to the mothership for future upgrades. Sitting next to my LIM, it certainly looks better, will probably send the LIM for it's upgrade soon. Thanks to Jason, Mike, Dave, Ivana and the folks at Schiit for offering this upgrade, most manufacturers would just depricate the old and sell something "new". One more thing, my Folkvanger works just dandy as a sometimes "effects" box. When one wishes to dance on the third rail of flavors, this it's just the thang!

That's a sexy bunch of shiit...

 

[sopranomi]

are there any upgrades planned to the Valhalla 2 in the near-term roadmap...?

Watch at 1:08:00 for an answer.

 

[tafens]

I'm listening to Jot OG and Arya v1 via BF2 OG. What a fabulous pairing. I'll roll in Lyr 3, but honestly Jot is not too shabby and works well as a multi-purpose HP amp / Preamp on my home office. I hate powering on tubes for a short Zoom meeting, so Jot is a nice SS solution where I do not have to worry about tube wear and tear.

When I get to the office I always flip the switch on my Lyr3 there so it can warm up. That’s for listening to music though.

For calls and meetings I use the company issued solution:

For calls it’s doable. Out of curiosity, I tried to listen to music with it once. But 5 seconds in I had to stop or my ears would start to bleed. It’s $200, but sounds like $5 earbuds. To my ears anyway. To be fair though, it does have a lot of nice other features (sonics excepted).

 

[tafens]

Woahhhh is that a usb c dongle to be used with phones?

Too bad it didn't work out, I mean dongles are so hot these days. But I bet you guys had a clever name planned for it.

I believe, waaay back in the thread, the official
name for it was discussed among products that never was. If I remember correctly, it was to be called the Dingleberry (tm)

Edit: found something:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sch...most-improbable-start-up.701900/post-11775288
Apparently, Dingleberry was the working name for the first Fulla.

 

[FLTWS]

Hello, fellow Schiitheads, I'm looking for some tubular advice and suggestions.

I have a Vali 2++ and a Chinese DAC-amp combo that, like the Vali 2++, takes 5670's. Rolling tubes in either brings some subtle tonal and soundstage differences, and I have some decent tubes. The hybrid nature of both units does mean that the tubes don't change the flavour of the sound as much as a pure tube amp (or maybe it's my tinnitus and degraded hearing in my left ear). I have Sennheiser HD650 and Hifiman Sundara headphones. Both sound great with these headphone amps. I also have an Asgard 3, a Magni 3+, and an ifi ZenDAC 2.

I'd like to dive into a "pure" tube experience, and I'm looking at the Bottlehead Crack build-it-yourself and very customizable amp with the speedball kit (I won't be using the Sundara with this one), or the Schiit Valhalla 2. From looking at the Valhalla's circuitboard I don't believe it's a hybrid. Any recommendations regarding one over the other? If Valhalla 2, are there any tubes that made you go "oooohhh yeahhhh"? Both amps are close in price with the Valhalla 2 being the less expensive. Decisions decisions...

@Jason Stoddard are there any upgrades planned to the Valhalla 2 in the near-term roadmap...?

If your interested in a Valhalla 2 PM me. And yes, it is not a hybrid.

 

[macdonjh]

That's a 6J5 adapter with Tung Sols. The 6J5 is a single triode version of the 6SN7. Sound-wise, it depends on the tube(s) and amp of course, but one of the traits that seems consistent to my ears with single triode tubes (versus their dual-triode compatibles) is a bigger soundstage with better imaging.

Well, duh, it just has to work the same with tubes as it does with amps. Mono-blocks- tubes or amps- always improve separation and sound stage.

I'm waiting for the Folkvangr+ that will use eight KT-150's for output tubes.

I don't think that's + enough. Ten power tubes minimum for it to be called an upgrade.

 

[filthy mechanical]

When I get to the office I always flip the switch on my Lyr3 there so it can warm up. That’s for listening to music though.

For calls and meetings I use the company issued solution:

For calls it’s doable. Out of curiosity, I tried to listen to music with it once. But 5 seconds in I had to stop or my ears would start to bleed. It’s $200, but sounds like $5 earbuds. To my ears anyway. To be fair though, it does have a lot of nice other features (sonics excepted).

I didn't even try our company issued headset - single ear, plugs into the TRRS port of the laptop that depending on the dock you were issued may be blocked (mine was) and is just horrible. Picked up a Hel 1, DT770, and Modmic. Never had an issue, and able to use the headphone port on my cellphone for music into the Hel and flip to a call easily. ALSO, from the 2E text of:

If You’re a Keyboard Warrior
Hel 2E seriously ups your game in the office or home office. Your voice will stand out on Zoom calls with 24-bit TI analog-to-digital conversion, and you’ll enjoy headphone audio with much higher power and lower distortion than any PC.

the mic is noticeably better than the ones issued by the company.

 

[Hyde00]

When I get to the office I always flip the switch on my Lyr3 there so it can warm up. That’s for listening to music though.

I actually use Lyr 3 for everything all day LOL (work from home). My poor tube, I probably need a better solution.

Was looking at Lyr+, so I can use solid state during work and tube at night. But don't want to spend that much yet, also I want to buy used rather than new.

For now I'm basically banking on the fact that hybrid tube amp puts less power into the tube than OTL amp so hopefully it lasts longer.

 

[33na3rd]

also I want to buy used rather than new.

I get this, but just a reminder that new comes with a nice warranty.