Schiit Magni Headphone Amplifier
Mar 14, 2013 at 4:13 AM Post #1,456 of 2,252
Do you apply DSP, including Replaygain? And what do you use as a DAC? Both have influence on that...

I have an HRT MusicStreamer II+ and don't apply any equalizers or effects. I don't understand people who say they have to stop at 7 o'clock. 7 o'clock is barely a nudge on the pot. We are considering 12 o'clock as the top of the pot, aren't we? And 1-2 o'clock would be top-right.
 
Mar 14, 2013 at 4:13 AM Post #1,457 of 2,252
Do you apply DSP, including Replaygain? And what do you use as a DAC? Both have influence on that...

I have an HRT MusicStreamer II+ and don't apply any equalizers or effects. I don't understand people who say they have to stop at 7 o'clock. 7 o'clock is barely a nudge on the pot. We are considering 12 o'clock as the top of the pot, aren't we? And 1-2 o'clock would be top-right.
 
Mar 14, 2013 at 4:16 AM Post #1,458 of 2,252
Quote:
I have an HRT MusicStreamer II+ and don't apply any equalizers or effects. I don't understand people who say they have to stop at 7 o'clock. 7 o'clock is barely a nudge on the pot. We are considering 12 o'clock as the top of the pot, aren't we? And 1-2 o'clock would be top-right.

 
I haven't tried Magni, to be honest... I am just comparing to my O2/ODAC where I barely pass 10 o'clock position with LCD-2/HD800 on 1x gain.
smily_headphones1.gif

 
Mar 14, 2013 at 4:27 AM Post #1,459 of 2,252
Quote:
I can crank it to 1 o'clock on the HE-500. Between 11 and 2 is where it usually sits.

The HE500's are a little harder to drive then the LCD2's but even so, if your computer is on full volume then thats gonna be pretty loud bro..!
 
I can handle loud music, played in bands for a very long time. But the Magni at 12 oclock is 'Motorhead at Hammersmith' dude!  
tongue.gif

 
Mar 14, 2013 at 7:49 AM Post #1,460 of 2,252
The HE500's are a little harder to drive then the LCD2's but even so, if your computer is on full volume then thats gonna be pretty loud bro..!

I can handle loud music, played in bands for a very long time. But the Magni at 12 oclock is 'Motorhead at Hammersmith' dude!  :p

Ya? It doesn't seem loud to me. 10 o'clock is quieter listening for me.
 
Mar 14, 2013 at 8:08 AM Post #1,461 of 2,252
Quote:
Ya? It doesn't seem loud to me. 10 o'clock is quieter listening for me.

 
So you don't use any VST plugin, replaygain or other DSP, have all the software volume controls on 100%, use HRT Music Streamer II+ with 2.25vrms output voltage (in comparison to 2vrms of ODAC) and still get past 12 o'clock with Magni on 5x gain? o_O
 
There must be something I overlooked...
 
Mar 14, 2013 at 8:44 AM Post #1,462 of 2,252
So you don't use any VST plugin, replaygain or other DSP, have all the software volume controls on 100%, use HRT Music Streamer II+ with 2.25vrms output voltage (in comparison to 2vrms of ODAC) and still get past 12 o'clock with Magni on 5x gain? o_O

There must be something I overlooked...

Maybe I'm growing deaf? I listened to a lot of Godflesh and punk rock in the early '90s.

What?! Could you speak up, sir?
 
Mar 14, 2013 at 3:03 PM Post #1,464 of 2,252
Quote:
Maybe I'm growing deaf? I listened to a lot of Godflesh and punk rock in the early '90s.

What?! Could you speak up, sir?

mmmmmmmmmm, Streetcleaner
 
Mar 14, 2013 at 7:33 PM Post #1,465 of 2,252
Using the magni and modi I get to 12 olcock on my hd600's with certain tracks. It is pretty damn loud at that level though, but people not being able to get passed 7 olcock sounds crazy to me too, even my hd25iis can get to 10-11 before I'd consider it much too loud.
 
 
Mar 14, 2013 at 8:11 PM Post #1,466 of 2,252
Many headphone produce over 100 dB SPL with just 1 mW of power. Assuming it's 100 dB SPL @ 1 mW and that the average RMS amplitude of your music is -15 dB you're still at an imo loud 85 dB SPL.
 
Into 32 ohms the corresponding volume position would be around 7:30, into 300 ohms about 9:30.
 
If you're listening to classical music you might have to turn up the volume more, but if you're listening to dynamically compressed stuff you will run into permanent hearing damage.
 
Mar 14, 2013 at 8:24 PM Post #1,467 of 2,252
Quote:
mmmmmmmmmm, Streetcleaner

Streetcleaner is pretty raw, but I got into 'Pure' pretty hard.  I still think that 'Spite' and 'Mothra' are defining songs for them.  Oddly, my fave on 'Pure' was 'Baby Blue Eyes'.
 
Mar 14, 2013 at 9:50 PM Post #1,468 of 2,252
I got some new Schiit!
 
My Magni arrived today!
 

 
After a couple of hours of listening to the Magni hooked up to my Squeezebox and Mad Dogs I can say that the major difference is that the sound is more "complete" as compared to driving the Mad Dogs from the Squeezebox. The bass is more solid and everything just seems stronger. I usually listen at moderate volumes and with the Magni I am finding that the volume knob is between 9 and 10. I have the Squeezebox internal volume set at 100%
 
So far, so great! I have noticed a big improvement in the sound. The Magni is well-built and good looking. I plan on doing a lot more listening over the next week or so and I will probably post a proper review at that point.
 
Mar 15, 2013 at 7:11 PM Post #1,469 of 2,252
Quote:
I have a set of DT990 Pro 250 ohm that I used to use with a uDac-2. People always said the DT990s were super bright, but I had no idea what they were talking about because they sounded only slightly bright. When I switched to Modi/Magni, I noticed that first, the headphones became way more detailed and second, their known sound signature came out. Thus, super hot highs and substantial lows. I presume this is because the headphones are finally getting enough power, as my HD600s don't sound much brighter on Modi/Magni vs uDac-2 (though they certainly sound better!).
 
To answer your question, I've never tried the E11 so I couldn't say with certainty, but if you feel that the DT990s aren't particularly bright on your E11, I would guess the Magni would make them both more detailed, give you more presence, and be a good deal more bright.

Ordered a Magni and it should be here next week :D Stoked. Even if it doesn't sound much different (I hope it will) it will be nice to have an amp I don't need to charge anyway. thanks for the reply too 
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top