[MrPanda]

  The Asgard 2 can drive the HE-500's to punishing volume levels and do it well. You already know how it sounds 

I like the design, the guys at Schitt didn't take the easy way out and went for a perfectly biased discrete design that doesn't rely on negative feedback but delivers due to their diligence in design.
My wife was busting my chops to go out and shovel off the last round of snow but it's too dark and I'm not willing. I really should because by tomorrow morning it will freeze into ice.

That's really good news.  I've had some orthos before but they were really underpowered - same with the K340's which are going to be my next test  I was a little too broke to go out for a Lyr, but I'm not disappointed in the Asgard 2/K712 combo at all..  K712's with a FiiO sounded very "transistory'
There's nothing to really shovel here yet, but there sure will be ice tomorrow.   But instead of going out, I can try out the K340's, the Beyer DT-770's, the Sennheiser HD595's and the Ultrasone Pro 650's with the Asgard, lol.  I wonder how the Asgard would do with Sennheiser HD650's...

 

[Amictus]

  Hey everyone, i own a set of HD800 headphones and i am thinking about getting a Schiit Lyr,
 
However i've read some horror stories of Schiit amps blowing / damaging headphones in the past.
(Headphones get damaged at the amp startup / shut-down because of power spikes?)
 
Does this problem still exsist?, or did they fix this issue.
 
Would like to hear this from a Lyr owner if possible.

I am happily running the HD800s out of a Lyr and have had no such issue. FWIW appropriate tube selection is very important in this combination. I have also just received a Gungnir, but that is another story. Happy listening!

 

[madwolfa]

  I wonder how the Asgard would do with Sennheiser HD650's...

 
From what I heard, Asgard should be especially good with HD6x0, since they were used as a reference cans.
 
Can't wait to try it with my HD600...

 

[StanD]

  That's really good news.  I've had some orthos before but they were really underpowered - same with the K340's which are going to be my next test  I was a little too broke to go out for a Lyr, but I'm not disappointed in the Asgard 2/K712 combo at all..  K712's with a FiiO sounded very "transistory'
There's nothing to really shovel here yet, but there sure will be ice tomorrow.   But instead of going out, I can try out the K340's, the Beyer DT-770's, the Sennheiser HD595's and the Ultrasone Pro 650's with the Asgard, lol.  I wonder how the Asgard would do with Sennheiser HD650's...

Don't know about the 650's but they do a fantastic job with my HD600's. I expect that they'd do great with 650's.
I'd like to hear how they do with your K340's so get to work. 

 

[Snips]

Is the HD600 rather revealing for you when you pair it with the Lyr? I find that my own HD600 tends to reveal minor flaws in the recordings when I pair it my Vali. Granted, the Vali is the only desktop amp I have at the moment so I have nothing else to test it on, 

 

[MrPanda]

  Don't know about the 650's but they do a fantastic job with my HD600's. I expect that they'd do great with 650's.
I'd like to hear how they do with your K340's so get to work. 

Just tried the K340s, and what can I say but the sound is legendary.  I wish I had had this amp back in 1980 when I got the K340's!  The midrange and treble is astoundingly clear.   They just lack a little "sub-bass" in comparison to the K712's.  I'd say the K712's are better integrated, but the transparency of the K340's at the top is superlative.   The K340's definitely have more of a "closed" sound and feel, and I like the soundstage of the K712's better.   At the low gain setting, not much comes out of the Asgard 2 with the K340, but on high gain, there's volume and headroom to spare.   I think the other advantage of the K712's is that they handle dynamic bass a lot better - the K340's came from the era of the LP, cassette and FM.   Right after the K340's, I put on the Ultrasones just for a quick check but while they outperformed the K340 on sub bass, the mid to top sounded dull, slow, and veiled.   The Beyer DT-770's fared a lot better, sounding better than I've ever heard them before -- actually, they really sound impressive, particularly on cello and low strings.  LOL, now I'll have to try out the Q701's and Sennheiser HD 595's.....  

 

[MrPanda]

   
From what I heard, Asgard should be especially good with HD6x0, since they were used as a reference cans.
 
Can't wait to try it with my HD600...

I'm really interested in your impressions there...  so far I've found a huge improvement with the Bifrost/Asgard -- I wasn't expecting such a big jump up from the Apogee, or even the FiiO stuff.

 

[StanD]

  Just tried the K340s, and what can I say but the sound is legendary.  I wish I had had this amp back in 1980 when I got the K340's!  The midrange and treble is astoundingly clear.   They just lack a little "sub-bass" in comparison to the K712's.  I'd say the K712's are better integrated, but the transparency of the K340's at the top is superlative.   The K340's definitely have more of a "closed" sound and feel, and I like the soundstage of the K712's better.   At the low gain setting, not much comes out of the Asgard 2 with the K340, but on high gain, there's volume and headroom to spare.   I think the other advantage of the K712's is that they handle dynamic bass a lot better - the K340's came from the era of the LP, cassette and FM.   Right after the K340's, I put on the Ultrasones just for a quick check but while they outperformed the K340 on sub bass, the mid to top sounded dull, slow, and veiled.   The Beyer DT-770's fared a lot better, sounding better than I've ever heard them before -- actually, they really sound impressive, particularly on cello and low strings.  LOL, now I'll have to try out the Q701's and Sennheiser HD 595's.....  

I did a quick Google on the K340's and what I read was that they were not easy to drive. I did a quick calculation based upon what curves I found on Innerfidelity and the Asgard 2 specs and figure you'll get about 114 dB SPL peak, maybe some more. Not up to head banging soon to be deaf Rap levels but not exactly soft either. I guess you found them loud enough. Glad to hear the Asgard 2 is working out for you..

 

[StanD]

   
From what I heard, Asgard should be especially good with HD6x0, since they were used as a reference cans.
 
Can't wait to try it with my HD600...

It works superbly with my HD600's.

 

[MrPanda]

It's really fairly loud with the K340 - I listened for half an hour or so to classical.  I'll try some rock and jazz tomorrow,  I think the K712 is better at most things, but it's incredible to know that all this potential in the K340's was waiting around for a few decades to emerge. 
I'll try Steve WIlson's "The Raven that Refused to Sing" tomorrow, I've got it at 24/96. 
 
Even with a better amp and DAC, the Ultrasone Pro 650 is still pretty disappointing.  SLogic doesn't give me the sense of soundstage that the AKG's do.  And it really sounds muffled, and maybe even more colored with the Schiit stack

 

[StanD]

  It's really fairly loud with the K340 - I listened for half an hour or so to classical.  I'll try some rock and jazz tomorrow,  I think the K712 is better at most things, but it's incredible to know that all this potential in the K340's was waiting around for a few decades to emerge. 
I'll try Steve WIlson's "The Raven that Refused to Sing" tomorrow, I've got it at 24/96. 
 
Even with a better amp and DAC, the Ultrasone Pro 650 is still pretty disappointing.  SLogic doesn't give me the sense of soundstage that the AKG's do.  And it really sounds muffled, and maybe even more colored with the Schiit stack

If you have a streaming subscription, when you try Jazz, find Dave Weckl and hold onto your headphones. Good news that the K340's were "fairly loud."

 

[ChrisMcLaughlin]

Totally worth the wait

 

[FrZ-Fi]

So seems like a I had some interference causing my ringing noise in the Valhalla. Improved it completely going to another room, so have to find the cause next to my pc. I'm thinking it's the power outlets near my computer. Anyways here's a pic for you guys

OK so an update.

I tested the hardware in exactly the same position as seen in the picture. Using a laptop it's silent. Unplugging the USB and plugging it into my desktop and boom static. So this basically singles out my desktop as the culprit and not the power outlet I read someone seemed to have the same issue and fixed it with a USB isolator. Does this issue ring any bells? Anyone have any idea how to fix it before I go and buy a USB isolator? Thanks guys

 

[john57]

I am not clear what type of noise you are getting, first you said ringing and then you get static from the desktop USB connection? USB isolator will help if you are getting a hum type of noise. 

 

[StanD]

OK so an update.

I tested the hardware in exactly the same position as seen in the picture. Using a laptop it's silent. Unplugging the USB and plugging it into my desktop and boom static. So this basically singles out my desktop as the culprit and not the power outlet I read someone seemed to have the same issue and fixed it with a USB isolator. Does this issue ring any bells? Anyone have any idea how to fix it before I go and buy a USB isolator? Thanks guys

Maybe you have a ground loop. Try plugging your PC and audio gear into the same power strip or outlet. I remember having a problem when I had my DAC and PC plugged into different power outlets.