What higher end amps do you recommend? I have been on the fence about getting an amp that takes the balanced signal from my RME-ADI 2 since I don't think my SMSL SP200 gives out quite enough power. I was hoping the Midgard would be a good end game since it has a lot of power, plus its cheap which is nice. Also been thinking of a Violectric amp but don't know if its worth potentially spending $2,000+ on one.
Sorry for the late reply, just like to close the loop if someone asks me a question. In terms of power only the Midgard may be "end game" in the sense that it can power any headphone except some super high end planars. In terms of sound quality, definitely not even close to what the best amplifiers can do. I also would be hesitant to buy a $2000 amp without auditioning. The ideal is to bring your headphones to CanJam and try them on a bunch of different amps, maybe you can even find a place that will let you audition in person if you live in NY or LA. There were quite a few regional Schiit shows in 2023 so you might plan on making it to one in 2024 to audition their whole line.
Honestly I don't know which amp to recommend as an "end game" that is somewhat affordable because I don't enjoy owning multiple amps and testing them in the same way as I do headphones. The differences are subtle and it's a lot harder to resell amps, so I just stick with what is good enough for me, which is typically some Schiit DACs and amps. For my own use right now, I found that Lyr+ is good enough for me, and the amps I like better typically cost at least two-three times as much. I did make an exception for Midgard because I was curious about Halo. Sorry if that's a disappointing answer but I would go in threads for headphones that you expect to own in the future as your top-tier model and just see what's recommended for those. I think if there was one amp to rule them all at a $600 price point everyone would have it already, but you can see a real diversity in what people own. At the $200-300 price point though, I definitely think Midgard will become the go-to in the way that Magni is at the $100 price point.
DAC balanced in can add a stronger signal before it’s amplified. Usually it’s 4V balanced and 2V unbalanced. But either is fine in terms of working, especially since the Midgard is plenty powerful.
Would you guys consider the Midgard a good starter amp? I ordered one which will arrive Thursday and I picked up a used Modius E to go along with it so saved a bit there. Additionally I bought a used pair of 6XX's. I've had a Fulla 2 for about 7 years which I use with a pair of Sonorous III's and have loved them but wanted to upgrade for a while. I was going to go for a Modi+/Magni+ but then I talked myself into the Modius/Midgard. Now I'm wondering if that was overkill for my purposes, and if the form factor is too big. I do like the small size of the Modi+/Magni+ and they would fit better on my desk. Is the Midgard/Modius a big jump in sound quality over the smaller stack?
Anyway I'm certainly wayyy overthinking this (isn't that what a hobby is for?) but I'd love to get some thoughts.
Would you guys consider the Midgard a good starter amp? I ordered one which will arrive Thursday and I picked up a used Modius E to go along with it so saved a bit there. Additionally I bought a used pair of 6XX's. I've had a Fulla 2 for about 7 years which I use with a pair of Sonorous III's and have loved them but wanted to upgrade for a while. I was going to go for a Modi+/Magni+ but then I talked myself into the Modius/Midgard. Now I'm wondering if that was overkill for my purposes, and if the form factor is too big. I do like the small size of the Modi+/Magni+ and they would fit better on my desk. Is the Midgard/Modius a big jump in sound quality over the smaller stack?
Anyway I'm certainly wayyy overthinking this (isn't that what a hobby is for?) but I'd love to get some thoughts.
IMO, you saved money by skipping the Modi/Magni and then purchasing Modius/Midgard subsequently. Midgard has ability to switch between two sources, as well as balanced capability should you add a turntable, or power amp or two monoblocks + speakers down the road.
Would you guys consider the Midgard a good starter amp? I ordered one which will arrive Thursday and I picked up a used Modius E to go along with it so saved a bit there. Additionally I bought a used pair of 6XX's. I've had a Fulla 2 for about 7 years which I use with a pair of Sonorous III's and have loved them but wanted to upgrade for a while. I was going to go for a Modi+/Magni+ but then I talked myself into the Modius/Midgard. Now I'm wondering if that was overkill for my purposes, and if the form factor is too big. I do like the small size of the Modi+/Magni+ and they would fit better on my desk. Is the Midgard/Modius a big jump in sound quality over the smaller stack?
Anyway I'm certainly wayyy overthinking this (isn't that what a hobby is for?) but I'd love to get some thoughts.
Would you guys consider the Midgard a good starter amp? I ordered one which will arrive Thursday and I picked up a used Modius E to go along with it so saved a bit there. Additionally I bought a used pair of 6XX's. I've had a Fulla 2 for about 7 years which I use with a pair of Sonorous III's and have loved them but wanted to upgrade for a while. I was going to go for a Modi+/Magni+ but then I talked myself into the Modius/Midgard. Now I'm wondering if that was overkill for my purposes, and if the form factor is too big. I do like the small size of the Modi+/Magni+ and they would fit better on my desk. Is the Midgard/Modius a big jump in sound quality over the smaller stack?
Anyway I'm certainly wayyy overthinking this (isn't that what a hobby is for?) but I'd love to get some thoughts.
Thanks guys, I think I just needed a little validation and encouragement that I made the right choice. I'm excited to get them and to finally have a great setup. Sidenote, I can already see the rabbit hole I'm about to fall into.
IMO, you saved money by skipping the Modi/Magni and then purchasing Modius/Midgard subsequently. Midgard has ability to switch between two sources, as well as balanced capability should you add a turntable, or power amp or two monoblocks + speakers down the road.
That's a great point about the multiple sources. I have a Pro-Ject Debut Carbon turntable and some LSR305 powered monitors I'd like to add to my setup at some point.
I'm super into the Sonorous III's! I just got new pads and a new headband so they're basically brand new. I'm curious how they'll play with a more powerful amp since they only are 16 ohm impendence. I've only tried them with my Fulla 2 and a little SMSL dongle. Any idea about this, do low impendence headphones work equally as well with the Midgard as high impedance?
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