[basstrombone]

I wonder if Schiit would be interested in cornering the market on a restart of in-car vinyl players?

I had previously posted this in Baldr's forum but it seems to be more salient here. Perhaps shellac trumps vinyl:
I believe I've found a prototype for a revolutionary Schiit product. I found it at the last place one would expect to find cutting-edge audio, in the rehearsal hall for our recent run of L'Elisir d'Amore. (Ying Fang was stupendous!)
This solves several problems Schiit has been dealing with - independence from grid AC with or without "galvanic isolation", minimal electronics and no ICs or lead-free solder concerns, portability, and an elegant solution to "The Gadget" as the mechanism slows down to the "sweet spot"...

 

[AudioBear]

So if the magni 3 was the asgard 3 prototype, then safe to say the magni 3 is better??
Darn you schiit, I was already to pull the trigger on the asgard, but your saying I should just get the magni 3??
Better power for Senn hd650s???

Does anyone own both amps that can do a characteristics comparison? $250 is still cheap enough, if it warrants some sonic benefit, I don't want to just assume $99 is better. I have vali 2 and would like to lose the tube hassle.

Thks

I've been asking myself that question since I bought the Magni 3. I don't need Asgard 2 but I am curious. I'd like to hear people's subjective responses but of course the only one who can answer that question for you is you. And if I don't listen to both, I'll never know.

 

[wink]

5 on mine, all from this and the digital Schiit thread. I guess I’ve got a bit more “Get Off My Lawn!” going on that you do.... people often tell me I’m a nice guy when I’m not around.....

People continually tell me I'm a square.
Lawrence Welk and Barry Manilow on your playlist does that......

 

[gljus]

So if the magni 3 was the asgard 3 prototype, then safe to say the magni 3 is better??
Darn you schiit, I was already to pull the trigger on the asgard, but your saying I should just get the magni 3??
Better power for Senn hd650s???

Does anyone own both amps that can do a characteristics comparison? $250 is still cheap enough, if it warrants some sonic benefit, I don't want to just assume $99 is better. I have vali 2 and would like to lose the tube hassle.

Thks

I had an Asgard 2 a couple of years ago paired with a Modi 1, then decided to upgrade to Modi2U & Magni2U and sold the original Schiit Stack. I know it's not a direct comparison, but I never felt my HD650s were underpowered by either amp. The only difference I heard after upgrading (bear in mind that I'm not a really critical listener) was a bit more resolution from Modi2U. I didn't hear that difference with HD650s, but with RE600s, probably due to (better) isolation. I didn't have both stacks at the same time to compare them directly but I think I wouldn't have heard any difference anyway, since the change was minute (at least to my ears).

As an engineer I know that pure class A (or as Jason puts it: "the only class A") gives the best results in audio amplification, and I would stick with Asgard if my OCD was any stronger, but I wanted smaller stack footprint and to hear how much of an improvement the DAC actually was.

Maybe you should get both and decide for yourself

 

[Zojokkeli]

So if the magni 3 was the asgard 3 prototype, then safe to say the magni 3 is better??
Darn you schiit, I was already to pull the trigger on the asgard, but your saying I should just get the magni 3??
Better power for Senn hd650s???

Does anyone own both amps that can do a characteristics comparison? $250 is still cheap enough, if it warrants some sonic benefit, I don't want to just assume $99 is better. I have vali 2 and would like to lose the tube hassle.

Thks

FWIW, I enjoyed my HD 650s more out of the original Vali than the Asgard 2. As far Magnis go, I have no experience of them.

 

[Snowpuppy77]

I had an Asgard 2 a couple of years ago paired with a Modi 1, then decided to upgrade to Modi2U & Magni2U and sold the original Schiit Stack. I know it's not a direct comparison, but I never felt my HD650s were underpowered by either amp. The only difference I heard after upgrading (bear in mind that I'm not a really critical listener) was a bit more resolution from Modi2U. I didn't hear that difference with HD650s, but with RE600s, probably due to (better) isolation. I didn't have both stacks at the same time to compare them directly but I think I wouldn't have heard any difference anyway, since the change was minute (at least to my ears).

As an engineer I know that pure class A (or as Jason puts it: "the only class A") gives the best results in audio amplification, and I would stick with Asgard if my OCD was any stronger, but I wanted smaller stack footprint and to hear how much of an improvement the DAC actually was.

Maybe you should get both and decide for yourself

I used an Asgard 2 for a while to drive my HD800S and while it did sound very good I could tell they could use more power. The Asgard 2 is not ideal for high impedance headphones bt still good. And I would agree that if you have a Magni 3 you may not need anything else. When I heard the Magni 3 I was amazed that it was only $100. However IMHO the tone of instruments is not as pleasant as the Asgard 2. So for example if I had a nice pair of Grados or some other more efficient lower impedance headphones I would personally pick the Asgard 2 over the Mani 3. I still use my Asgard 2 with a pair of vintage Grado RS1s and it is a great pairing. For under $500 I would personally pick the Valhalla 2 over the Magni 3 for high impedance headphones.

 

[OldRoadToad]

.

 

[wink]

Get a can of black paint............



Get creative........

 

[FrivolsListener]

So if the magni 3 was the asgard 3 prototype, then safe to say the magni 3 is better??
Darn you schiit, I was already to pull the trigger on the asgard, but your saying I should just get the magni 3??
Better power for Senn hd650s???

Does anyone own both amps that can do a characteristics comparison? $250 is still cheap enough, if it warrants some sonic benefit, I don't want to just assume $99 is better. I have vali 2 and would like to lose the tube hassle.

Thks

At RMAF, I asked Jason about this:
"For unbalanced use only, would you choose Jot or Magni 3?"
"For unbalanced only? Magni 3."

We talked a little bit more than that, but the short version was that Magni 3 was that good. I think people dismiss it for its low price, but it might be that good. What I don't know is, if I have no "religious" preference for Class A amps (I don't), is it better than Asgard 2? Or is it simply a matter of personal taste at this point?

(I stick too unbalanced because it's much easier to A/B headphones with non-fanatics about audio. You can compare apples to apples, and I can plug in my phones in their gear without having to switch cables around.)

(Also, I have no killfile entries. No, not him. Not him, either.)

 

[Snowpuppy77]

At RMAF, I asked Jason about this:
"For unbalanced use only, would you choose Jot or Magni 3?"
"For unbalanced only? Magni 3."

We talked a little bit more than that, but the short version was that Magni 3 was that good. I think people dismiss it for its low price, but it might be that good. What I don't know is, if I have no "religious" preference for Class A amps (I don't), is it better than Asgard 2? Or is it simply a matter of personal taste at this point?

(I stick too unbalanced because it's much easier to A/B headphones with non-fanatics about audio. You can compare apples to apples, and I can plug in my phones in their gear without having to switch cables around.)

(Also, I have no killfile entries. No, not him. Not him, either.)

I think it is a matter of personal taste. I could see someone liking the Magni 3 as much or more than the Asgard 2. For me personally tone is pretty important due to how much acoustic music I listen to. Like classical or Renaissance small ensemble acoustically recorded in space. Which is why I also have a fondness for tube amps and their often excellent tone. I like class A solid state because it has some of the great tone of tubes but with SS strengths like punch in the bass. One thing about the Asgard 2 that does not do near as well as my tube amp is the highs. The highs on my tube amp (Mapletree Ear+) are sweet, extended, and detailed. The Asgard's highs are more on the dry side and not as detailed. My Ragnarok has significantly better highs than the Asgard 2 but still not quite the same level as my tube amp IMO. However overall I prefer my Asgard 2 over my Mapletree usually. My Ragnarok is much better than both.

 

[ToTo Man]

I stick too unbalanced because it's much easier to A/B headphones with non-fanatics about audio. You can compare apples to apples, and I can plug in my phones in their gear without having to switch cables around.)

You could just buy (or make) a balanced to unbalanced extension cable for your headphones. I use one (made from Van Damme Star Quad) when I want to use my HD600 or HD800S on unbalanced headphone amps as it's much quicker and less destructive than swapping the leads that insert into the earcups.

 

[438555]

I'm considering getting something to replace my magni2uber for bedside listening. the main problem I have with it is with higher sensitivity headphones, I can't reduce the volume enough even on low gain without going too low on the pot and getting channel imbalance. Considering I don't have this issue with the even more powerful Lyr2 in my living room, I'm guessing it's the larger pot that matches better at low levels. So I could get an Asgard maybe? Or could just punt and put a sys in there to reduce the input voltage...

 

[FrivolsListener]

I'm considering getting something to replace my magni2uber for bedside listening. the main problem I have with it is with higher sensitivity headphones, I can't reduce the volume enough even on low gain without going too low on the pot and getting channel imbalance. Considering I don't have this issue with the even more powerful Lyr2 in my living room, I'm guessing it's the larger pot that matches better at low levels. So I could get an Asgard maybe? Or could just punt and put a sys in there to reduce the input voltage...

One of the changes made to the Magni 3 was to "spread out" the low volume on the pot a bit. This has led to people complaining that they have to turn the Magni 3 too far up. (!)

What are your headphones that you are using?

The Lyr2 may match your phones' impedance better. The bigger, better quality pot helps, of course, but there is far more at play. Don't assume that the Asgard will be the perfect fit.

 

[438555]

One of the changes made to the Magni 3 was to "spread out" the low volume on the pot a bit. This has led to people complaining that they have to turn the Magni 3 too far up. (!)

What are your headphones that you are using?

The Lyr2 may match your phones' impedance better. The bigger, better quality pot helps, of course, but there is far more at play. Don't assume that the Asgard will be the perfect fit.

The ones I like to use in bed are closed back ones like the Beyerdynamic T5P and the Sony MDR1A, or Grado GR8e for in-ears. the T5P and GR8e are 32 Ohm and 103 and 118 dB, with the MDR1a at 48 Ohm and 105 dB. I really like the way the MDR1A sounds on the Magni2Uber with either the mimby or the modi2uber, I just want it a bit quieter when I'm approaching sleepy time.

 

[FrivolsListener]

The ones I like to use in bed are closed back ones like the Beyerdynamic T5P and the Sony MDR1A, or Grado GR8e for in-ears. the T5P and GR8e are 32 Ohm and 103 and 118 dB, with the MDR1a at 48 Ohm and 105 dB. I really like the way the MDR1A sounds on the Magni2Uber with either the mimby or the modi2uber, I just want it a bit quieter when I'm approaching sleepy time.

I just looked, and the Lyr 2 in low gain mode has unity gain (no gain). The Magni 3 might still be too much.

Maybe you should put the Lyr 2 into the bedroom.