[Ancipital]

  I plan to get the Focal Elear and drive it with the Jotunheim and the Modi Multibit.
 
Maybe in a second step I will change cables in order to drive the Elear in balanced mode.
 
I will be able to listen to the Elear soon, but there's no way I can check out the Schiits beforehand.
 
Does this sound like a good idea to you or have I overlooked something?
 
Thanks

 
That depends- how treble sensitive are you? You might find the Elear rather shouty out of the Jot, in the upper mid/lower treble. A forward-sounding SS amp will just emphasise that.

 

[inanevoyage]

   
 
Yeah, I often wish that long threads had someone to edit a synopsis of the latest revelations so you don't have to go through and read 200 pages to learn what could be learned in one post if properly summarized

This is one reason I prefer the reddit format. The best posts rise to the top, and you get to save your time avoiding nonsense. 

 

[Hofy]

  This is one reason I prefer the reddit format. The best posts rise to the top, and you get to save your time avoiding nonsense. 

This is the very reason I can not stand reddit.  To me it is a dis-organized cluster that is hard to read.

 

[mwhals]

This is one reason I prefer the reddit format. The best posts rise to the top, and you get to save your time avoiding nonsense. 

This is the very reason I can not stand reddit.  To me it is a dis-organized cluster that is hard to read.

I am not a fan of reddit either.

 

[andrejc]

Going to get a Dac Jot + Bimby + HD650

Should I use my $70 Sound Blaster card with an optical out or a USB to Bimby?

Thanks!

 

[Vigrith]

Out of curiosity, has anyone tried the HD650s with both the Jotunheim and the Valhalla 2? I own the Jotun so I am aware how heavily the pairing is, I'm just curious how it fares with the V2 in comparison as I'm pondering purchasing one for a tertiary setup that'll be housing the new HD6XX MD have just shipped me earlier today.
 
Just wish the black chassis limited run would make a comeback, the black V2 is insane.

 

[MWSVette]

  Out of curiosity, has anyone tried the HD650s with both the Jotunheim and the Valhalla 2? I own the Jotun so I am aware how heavily the pairing is, I'm just curious how it fares with the V2 in comparison as I'm pondering purchasing one for a tertiary setup that'll be housing the new HD6XX MD have just shipped me earlier today.
 
Just wish the black chassis limited run would make a comeback, the black V2 is insane.

OTL amps really drive the 300 ohm HD6xx series very well. I have not used a Valhalla 2 but I did use the original Valhalla and it really made my high impedance cans sing...

 

[cskippy]

I recently picked up a used Valhalla 2 and am pairing it with the HD650. Previously I was using the Jotunheim. No doubt the Jot/650 combo is great but the Valhalla2 just beings you one step closer to the music. Everything is so much more tangible like you can sense the space surrounding each instrument. The layer and depth presented are clearly superior on the Valhalla 2. IMO, stock tubes are just fine but I'm loving some WE2C51.

 

[cskippy]

Double post

 

[Vigrith]

  OTL amps really drive the 300 ohm HD6xx series very well. I have not used a Valhalla 2 but I did use the original Valhalla and it really made my high impedance cans sing...

 

I recently picked up a used Valhalla 2 and am pairing it with the HD650. Previously I was using the Jotunheim. No doubt the Jot/650 combo is great but the Valhalla2 just beings you one step closer to the music. Everything is so much more tangible like you can sense the space surrounding each instrument. The layer and depth presented are clearly superior on the Valhalla 2. IMO, stock tubes are just fine but I'm loving some WE2C51.

 
I appreciate the answers, guys. I am aware OTL amps are amazing with 300 ohm headphones, I was just curious whether the V2 specifically would match the 650s as fantastically as the Jotun does. Think I'll be giving it a go and see how I like the pairing, I'm sure I'll like it very much, just need to figure out how it compares to the Jotunheim.

 

[MWSVette]

   
 
I appreciate the answers, guys. I am aware OTL amps are amazing with 300 ohm headphones, I was just curious whether the V2 specifically would match the 650s as fantastically as the Jotun does. Think I'll be giving it a go and see how I like the pairing, I'm sure I'll like it very much, just need to figure out how it compares to the Jotunheim.

If the only headphones you are going to own are high impedance then go with the Valhalla 2.  If you are considering planers or the cans the like higher wattage more than voltage swings then go with the Jot.  Both are great amps but the Valhalla 2 is not as flexible as the Jotunheim.
 
And of course IMHO, YMMV, yada yada yada...

 

[Vigrith]

  If the only headphones you are going to own are high impedance then go with the Valhalla 2.  If you are considering planers or the cans the like higher wattage more than voltage swings then go with the Jot.  Both are great amps but the Valhalla 2 is not as flexible as the Jotunheim.
 
And of course IMHO, YMMV, yada yada yada...

 
Yea I'm not going to be using planars with that setup, it's just a small ish footprint chain for the living room so we can have the HD6xx there for if we don't want to use speakers every now and then, I'm not looking for versatility, just a good match - I already own a Jotun (at the office) so was pondering either just getting another one or buying a V2 and trying that out.
 
Appreciate the insight though, I think I'll just get a V2 once it's back in stock on Schiit-europe, I'm sure it'll sound great with the 650s.

 

[bigro]

   
Yea I'm not going to be using planars with that setup, it's just a small ish footprint chain for the living room so we can have the HD6xx there for if we don't want to use speakers every now and then, I'm not looking for versatility, just a good match - I already own a Jotun (at the office) so was pondering either just getting another one or buying a V2 and trying that out.
 
Appreciate the insight though, I think I'll just get a V2 once it's back in stock on Schiit-europe, I'm sure it'll sound great with the 650s.

I Tried my Valhalla 2 with HD 650's back in October at the Nashville meet. They sounded Really good.SO good in fact that the HD 600/650 was a top contender but price led me to getting the  beyerdynamic dt990 600 ohm for less than Half the price of the senns. This will be my sit near the chair by the fireplace so I can settle in with a glass of something of moderate proof so I I don't piss off the wife with the 2 Channel rig. There is a Valhalla 2 Tube rolling thread with many mentions of the HD 650's pair well with the Valhalla 2 and the right tubes.

 

[econaut]

   
That depends- how treble sensitive are you? You might find the Elear rather shouty out of the Jot, in the upper mid/lower treble. A forward-sounding SS amp will just emphasise that.

Thanks for the reply
 
Currently I use three headphones:
 

1. At home: AKG K702 (with bass mod)
2. when commuting: Sennheiser HD25 Aluminium -> "upper mids and treble are slightly forward"
3. for sports: DUNU DN-1000 -> "The top end of the DN-1000 is bright and crisp, and again rather typical of a TWFK-based earphone."

 
I have two rooms with Klipsch loudspeakers (horn-loaded).
 
Considering these choices I guess I am not treble sensitive, but I am not sure.

 

[Ancipital]

  Thanks for the reply
 
Currently I use three headphones:
 

1. At home: AKG K702 (with bass mod)
2. when commuting: Sennheiser HD25 Aluminium -> "upper mids and treble are slightly forward"
3. for sports: DUNU DN-1000 -> "The top end of the DN-1000 is bright and crisp, and again rather typical of a TWFK-based earphone."

 
I have two rooms with Klipsch loudspeakers (horn-loaded).
 
Considering these choices I guess I am not treble sensitive, but I am not sure.

 
Yeah, the AKG 702 can be a bit nasty in the upper mids/low treble- the Elear have a bit of a spiked response in a similar area. If you're OK with the 702, then maybe the Elear won't be like Kryptonite to you. I haven't heard the "bass mod" that you mention, though, admittedly.
 
Anyway, the Elear is a far better headphone in terms of most technicalities, and a lot more resolving, though I am not sure about sound stage. However, it'd still be a hefty upgrade in general. (The Jotunheim has a very wide but shallow stage, for what it's worth)
 
You probably won't have an issue, though maybe get the Elears from somewhere with easy returns just in case? Then there's no risk. As for the Jotunheim, I'm certainly in no position to talk you out of that- you'd be hard-pressed to find a better value solid state amp right now, brilliant bang for your buck. It'll probably stay on your desk long after you add a fancy tube amp, too. It's a very decent bit of kit.
 
That said, there's a lot to recommend just throwing some HD650 on the Jotunheim, via a balanced cable. Given the price differential, the Elear doesn't leave them in the dust quite as much as people might hope. It's a slightly different flavour, a touch dark, but the Jot really does bulldoze through a lot of the sleepiness of the HD650, producing a surprisingly nicely-controlled sound.