[merkil]

If people in this thread haven't been following the schiit Magni thread there have been some posts as of late talking about attenuators like these

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?partnumber=266-244

This will give you more volume range without having to digitally attenuate. Just something to think about if you are afraid of losing sound quality by not having the volume at 100%

 

[tdockweiler]

First they whined about not enough gain on the Asgard (that was me) and now the Magni has too much gain?
Wow, I think it's impossible for Schiit to make an amp that's will make everyone happy and work with every single headphone on the planet.
 
I actually like having all that gain. Having my K601 at only 50% volume is kind of new for me..
 
I still wonder what headphone would need to be past 90% or even 75%
 
I bet Schiit hasn't found one that needs to be that high with the Modi and Magni.
Maybe like the K1000 or some Hifiman headphone?

 

[merkil]

First they whined about not enough gain on the Asgard (that was me) and now the Magni has too much gain?
Wow, I think it's impossible for Schiit to make an amp that's will make everyone happy and work with every single headphone on the planet.

I actually like having all that gain. Having my K601 at only 50% volume is kind of new for me..

I still wonder what headphone would need to be past 90% or even 75%

I bet Schiit hasn't found one that needs to be that high with the Modi and Magni.
Maybe like the K1000 or some Hifiman headphone?

It's only to much gain for certain sensative headphones. Of coarse schiit can't make an amp to please everyone but they could have included a gain switch at the cost of making the Magni more expensive. It's a double edge sword. I know Schiits attitude towards their products, they make them their way and their way only. Period. They don't care what ppl want persay, they just want to make amazing low cost products.

 

[Defiant00]

First they whined about not enough gain on the Asgard (that was me) and now the Magni has too much gain?
Wow, I think it's impossible for Schiit to make an amp that's will make everyone happy and work with every single headphone on the planet.

I actually like having all that gain. Having my K601 at only 50% volume is kind of new for me..

I still wonder what headphone would need to be past 90% or even 75%

I bet Schiit hasn't found one that needs to be that high with the Modi and Magni.
Maybe like the K1000 or some Hifiman headphone?

I'm actually going to be trying the M&M with the K1000 and HE-6 tomorrow Should be fun/amusing.

 

[peepr]

In for that. Should really demonstrate exactly what it is capable of.

 

[markm1]

[size=small]Wow. Thank you for the thorough comparison. [/size]
[size=small][/size]
[size=small]I've just purchased my first “real” headphones-a Grado 225i, and I've been researching amps. [/size]
[size=small][/size]
[size=small]I posted a query between the Fiio 17 and a Little Dot 1+. I received such strong recommendations for the LD 1+ specifically paired with my 225-that I decided to go with the LD 1+and then maybe add the Fiio to my gear after spending some time with a dedicated amp.[/size]
 
[size=small]I listen to a lot of rock and metal, but enjoy softer sounds like jazz, classical, new age and folk as well. I’m thinking that after some time spent w/ my Grado, it might be fun to add a second pair to contrast my Grados for other genres besides rock. I've got my eye on the HE 400 or 500 and it would be nice to have gear I could use with both.[/size]
 
[size=small]So, all set to go w/ my LD (this is the trouble with research), and then.....upon reading [/size][size=small]your review and the many other positive threads I've read re: Shiit...... I think I may need to add the shiit line to my short list. [/size]
 
[size=small]I noticed that Shiit recommends Asgard for Grados. But, the stack looks pretty sweet and does that whole "kill 2 birds with...."-thing.[/size]
 
[size=small]Just curious given your time with all the shiit models...if you or others have any thoughts between the Little Dot 1+ and the Magni or Asgard?[/size]
 
[size=small]Thanks again for your comparison![/size]
 
[size=small]Mark[/size]

 

[peter123]

Quote:

[size=small]Wow. Thank you for the thorough comparison. [/size]
[size=small][/size]
[size=small]I've just purchased my first “real” headphones-a Grado 225i, and I've been researching amps. [/size]
[size=small][/size]
[size=small]I posted a query between the Fiio 17 and a Little Dot 1+. I received such strong recommendations for the LD 1+ specifically paired with my 225-that I decided to go with the LD 1+and then maybe add the Fiio to my gear after spending some time with a dedicated amp.[/size]
 
[size=small]I listen to a lot of rock and metal, but enjoy softer sounds like jazz, classical, new age and folk as well. I’m thinking that after some time spent w/ my Grado, it might be fun to add a second pair to contrast my Grados for other genres besides rock. I've got my eye on the HE 400 or 500 and it would be nice to have gear I could use with both.[/size]
 
[size=small]So, all set to go w/ my LD (this is the trouble with research), and then.....upon reading [/size][size=small]your review and the many other positive threads I've read re: Shiit...... I think I may need to add the shiit line to my short list. [/size]
 
[size=small]I noticed that Shiit recommends Asgard for Grados. But, the stack looks pretty sweet and does that whole "kill 2 birds with...."-thing.[/size]
 
[size=small]Just curious given your time with all the shiit models...if you or others have any thoughts between the Little Dot 1+ and the Magni or Asgard?[/size]
 
[size=small]Thanks again for your comparison![/size]
 
[size=small]Mark[/size]

I'll copy from another thread:
 
If the options are Magni and LD I+ for Grados I'll recommend the LD. I've not heard tha Asgard though.
 
 
Quote:

Purely going off of the amps (minus the attenuators) how does the LD 1+ compare to the Magni? (I know, two different beasts, I just wanted to hear your comparison)

As you said: two different beasts.
 
To be honest I've not tested them against each other (I've only got the Magni for a week).
 
I bought the LD1+ mainly for my Grado's (325is) and it's great for them.
 
I bought the Magni mainly for my Fischer FA-011 because I was not happy with the sound of them on the LD1+, especially on the low gain setting. I got tired of opening the unit to change the gain setting everytime I wanted to use the FA-011's  (especially since it wasn't a great match anyway). The Magni however has made me love the FA-011's as much as I love my Grados with the LD1+.
 
I dont loke the Grado's on the Magni very much but I've not listned much to this combination yet (to harsh).
 
I have a set of NE 408a tubes and a 2107 op amp in the LD making it rather warm sounding (great with the Grado's) .
 
The Magni is more neutral  (no surprise there) and also more analytical i comparison. This is what I expected and why I bought it. I think these two amps will take care of my amp needs for a long time (the LD is also very flexible and gives the possibility to play around with op amps and tubes).
 
So hopefully I will not need to buy another amp in a long time.


 

 

[markm1]

Quote:

I'll copy from another thread:
 
If the options are Magni and LD I+ for Grados I'll recommend the LD. I've not heard tha Asgard though.
 
 
As you said: two different beasts.
 
To be honest I've not tested them against each other (I've only got the Magni for a week).
 
I bought the LD1+ mainly for my Grado's (325is) and it's great for them.
 
I bought the Magni mainly for my Fischer FA-011 because I was not happy with the sound of them on the LD1+, especially on the low gain setting. I got tired of opening the unit to change the gain setting everytime I wanted to use the FA-011's  (especially since it wasn't a great match anyway). The Magni however has made me love the FA-011's as much as I love my Grados with the LD1+.
 
I dont loke the Grado's on the Magni very much but I've not listned much to this combination yet (to harsh).
 
I have a set of NE 408a tubes and a 2107 op amp in the LD making it rather warm sounding (great with the Grado's) .
 
The Magni is more neutral  (no surprise there) and also more analytical i comparison. This is what I expected and why I bought it. I think these two amps will take care of my amp needs for a long time (the LD is also very flexible and gives the possibility to play around with op amps and tubes).
 
So hopefully I will not need to buy another amp in a long time.


 

That's really helpful-thanks! Yeah, I've ruled out the Magni. The Asgard sounds pretty good, though. I think it's the Asgard or the Little dot1+ Now I just need to bite the bullet...

 

[Defiant00]

That's really helpful-thanks! Yeah, I've ruled out the Magni. The Asgard sounds pretty good, though. I think it's the Asgard or the Little dot1+ Now I just need to bite the bullet...

I haven't heard the LD, but to me the Asgard sounds very similar to the Magni. I'd say that if you're ruling out the Magni on sound signature then I'd probably rule out the Asgard as well.

 

[markm1]

Quote:

I haven't heard the LD, but to me the Asgard sounds very similar to the Magni. I'd say that if you're ruling out the Magni on sound signature then I'd probably rule out the Asgard as well.

Hey Peter,
 
You know what? That makes complete sense.
 
However ....This is where the But....comes
 
I searched a little more and actually found some positive reviews paring Grados (and other brands) w/ the Asgard. Steve Guttenburg on CNET raves about the Asgard and Valhalla (man, he REALLY likes them) and references the 225 paired with the Asgard or the Valhalla. He writes: "The Valhalla or Asgard, teamed up with Grado's excellent SR225i headphones ($200) are a great way to discover high-end sound on a budget".
 
The Valhalla sounds good, as well but, it's an extra $100. And, the Asgard is about $150  jump from from the Little Dot (plus the shipping from China). I'm in the process of upgrading my entire audio system including stereo (currently just have a low end Sony shelf stereo unit with Ipod dock from Best Buys-little more than a glorified boom box).....and I can't go crazy on any one item. I'm trying to make well-informed, conservative choices....piece by piece. I also like the fact that they are made in America and like to support small American businesses. Hopefully, I can buy one amp that is of good quality and will last a long time.
 
Fact is, currently I do most of my headphone listening on an Ipod anyway. Well, I do listen to music while in a computer room. But, Listening to HP's at a dedicated listening spot is going to be a new way of listening to music. I'm so used to listening on the move even in the house. But, that's with Klipsch ear buds and an Ipod. This is going to take my listening to a new level. I'll just have to see how much time I actually spend plugging in in a situation where I'm sort of tethered to one spot.
 
Apparently, the Magni is brighter than the Asgard-probably too bright for bright cans, and since Grados are bright and aggressive to begin with kind do double down on those qualities,  whereas the Asgard/Valhalla are, I don't know...have better mids and  lows or whatnot-pardon me-I'm still learning the vocabulary! I'm just an old school rock guy that is dealing with a pretty big learning curve and want some really good sound!
 
Cheers and thanks for your help,
Mark

 

[Defiant00]

Well, personally I like my Grados with both the Magni and Asgard quite a bit. I also cannot hear any difference between the amps at the levels I listen at.
 
With that said, my personal subjective preference would probably be for the Asgard. I like the look of it better and the volume pot is definitely nicer. It also comes with a 5 year warranty which I find pretty compelling. I'm also a solid state fan; if you want to try out different tubes then obviously the Magni and Asgard aren't the best choice 

 

[peter123]

Quote:

Hey Peter,
 
You know what? That makes complete sense.
 
However ....This is where the But....comes
 
I searched a little more and actually found some positive reviews paring Grados (and other brands) w/ the Asgard. Steve Guttenburg on CNET raves about the Asgard and Valhalla (man, he REALLY likes them) and references the 225 paired with the Asgard or the Valhalla. He writes: "The Valhalla or Asgard, teamed up with Grado's excellent SR225i headphones ($200) are a great way to discover high-end sound on a budget".
 
The Valhalla sounds good, as well but, it's an extra $100. And, the Asgard is about $150  jump from from the Little Dot (plus the shipping from China). I'm in the process of upgrading my entire audio system including stereo (currently just have a low end Sony shelf stereo unit with Ipod dock from Best Buys-little more than a glorified boom box).....and I can't go crazy on any one item. I'm trying to make well-informed, conservative choices....piece by piece. I also like the fact that they are made in America and like to support small American businesses. Hopefully, I can buy one amp that is of good quality and will last a long time.
 
Fact is, currently I do most of my headphone listening on an Ipod anyway. Well, I do listen to music while in a computer room. But, Listening to HP's at a dedicated listening spot is going to be a new way of listening to music. I'm so used to listening on the move even in the house. But, that's with Klipsch ear buds and an Ipod. This is going to take my listening to a new level. I'll just have to see how much time I actually spend plugging in in a situation where I'm sort of tethered to one spot.
 
Apparently, the Magni is brighter than the Asgard-probably too bright for bright cans, and since Grados are bright and aggressive to begin with kind do double down on those qualities,  whereas the Asgard/Valhalla are, I don't know...have better mids and  lows or whatnot-pardon me-I'm still learning the vocabulary! I'm just an old school rock guy that is dealing with a pretty big learning curve and want some really good sound!
 
Cheers and thanks for your help,
Mark

 
I read some positive comments about the combination Magni/Grado's myself so I was actually optimistic when I tried them but it didn't work out for me. I even have a dac with tube output (Advance Acoustic MDA503) paired with the Magni but still i found it to harsh with the Grado's. I will not say I cannot stand it, I just think the LD sounds a lot nicer (with the 325is).I will also order some new tubes for my dac to see if I can make the combination with the Magni better sutied for the Grado's. I would like to make it very clear that I like the Magni a lot with all of my other cans.
 
Quote:

Well, personally I like my Grados with both the Magni and Asgard quite a bit. I also cannot hear any difference between the amps at the levels I listen at.
 
With that said, my personal subjective preference would probably be for the Asgard. I like the look of it better and the volume pot is definitely nicer. It also comes with a 5 year warranty which I find pretty compelling. I'm also a solid state fan; if you want to try out different tubes then obviously the Magni and Asgard aren't the best choice 

 
I think it just comes down to a matter of personal preference.

 

[tdockweiler]

Quote:

I haven't heard the LD, but to me the Asgard sounds very similar to the Magni. I'd say that if you're ruling out the Magni on sound signature then I'd probably rule out the Asgard as well.

I think the Magni sounds somewhat similar to the Asgard based on memory. What's interesting though is that I didn't like the K702 with the Asgard, but the Magni is quite good with it (but not great). I also seem to prefer the HD-650 with the Magni.
 
It makes sense why the LD would sound better with a Grado (or brighter) headphone. Sometimes the Q701 I have sounds a bit more "musical" with my E9, but I think it's just warmer and not as accurate. I guess it all depends on preferences. Not everyone needs or wants the most accurate sound possible.
 
The Magni shouldn't make anything more harsh than it already is. My Magni did smooth out after 12+ hours of use.
 
BTW if anyone thinks the Magni is too bright you should give it a week first. I think it's easy to be fooled because it's just not warm and is dead accurate. The brightness is usually due to crappy recordings. You can switch to another very transparent amp and the same recording will sound the same.
 
I only have the ODAC and Magni, so maybe it's the Modi that's bright. Doubt it.

 

[markm1]

Quote:

Well, personally I like my Grados with both the Magni and Asgard quite a bit. I also cannot hear any difference between the amps at the levels I listen at.
 
With that said, my personal subjective preference would probably be for the Asgard. I like the look of it better and the volume pot is definitely nicer. It also comes with a 5 year warranty which I find pretty compelling. I'm also a solid state fan; if you want to try out different tubes then obviously the Magni and Asgard aren't the best choice 

I don't know enough to know what I'm a fan of. I've just ordered my first HP and am shopping for my very 1st amp. So, all of your comments are a help. Guess, I'm thinking that for a amp virgin, maybe easier not to fool w/ tubes. BTW, did you look at Little Dot at all when you were making your initial purchases? Both look like good options-on paper at least and recommended for Grados.

 

[Defiant00]

Quote:

I don't know enough to know what I'm a fan of. I've just ordered my first HP and am shopping for my very 1st amp. So, all of your comments are a help. Guess, I'm thinking that for a amp virgin, maybe easier not to fool w/ tubes. BTW, did you look at Little Dot at all when you were making your initial purchases? Both look like good options-on paper at least and recommended for Grados.

 
Well, I don't think you can really go wrong with any of these. Personally I like the general idea and attitude of Schiit as a company here in the US, so I didn't do that much looking around when I got my Asgard.
 
It's a bit hard to express, but in my mind the Magni is a good stepping stone, a good way to find out if you like solid state (and Schiit in general). However, I don't really see it as a destination, which (sort of surprisingly) I actually think the Asgard is more of, even at its price. Sure, there are lots of better and more expensive amps out there, but even having gotten to listen to a lot of them there hasn't been anything that I've heard that I felt like I really wanted/needed compared to how well the Asgard already performs (with my cans and ears, standard disclaimer and all that).
 
Still, to reiterate, they're all good amps. And do keep in mind that Asgard was my first amp; I've been to a number of meets now and heard some stellar equipment, but part of my love for the Asgard is certainly just because it's what I got first and is what I'm used to.