[brokenthumb]

  The Modi is USB powered so that wouldn't work unfortunately. 

 
Sorry, didn't realize.  When I had the Meridian Explorer it was also USB powered and I left it on all the time.

 

[amnesiac75]

I have a question about my valhalla , have any of you noticed a slight hum from the tubes not through the headphones but from the tubes themselves. The reason I ask is because it doesn't always happen some days it's quiet and others it hums volume to time the amp is on has no effect. Other than that the amp sounds great hum or not and I can't hear it with phones on.

 

[Byronb]

This article may explain your issue:
 
http://www.kk5dr.com/Tubes.html

 

[HPiper]

  This article may explain your issue:
 
http://www.kk5dr.com/Tubes.html

Wow I didn't know even half that about tubes, very interesting read, thanks for that!

 

[ljperez84]

  Getting the urge to upgrade my Little Dot Mk 3. Was thinking either a Vali or a Valhalla. Have any of you had to chance to listen to a Mk3 and either of those amps? I am thinking probably Valhalla as it is a very similar amp to the Mk 3 in design and everything.

If I'm not mistaken the Little Dot Mk 4 and Mk 4 SE are the ones on the same league that the Valhalla. Can't tell about the differences since I've never heard a little dot amp.
 
What cans are you planning to use? Both Valhalla and LD MK IV are aimed to high impedance cans.
 
An all-in-one solution would be something hybrid like the Schiit Lyr . Vali is also hybrid but it's on a totally different league, and changing the tubes when they die will be a PITA, IMHO.
 
From what I know Asgard matches really well with low impedance cans such as Grados.

 

[Nic Rhodes]

I use a 4se and Vali and prefer the latter with most of my phones. The 4se only really sings with >300 ohm phones where as the Vali works with many more of my phones well.

 

[amnesiac75]

Thanks for the link Byronb alot of good info about tubes. So far I've been using the gungnir-valhalla-hd650 combo for about a month and it sounds great so tonight I hooked up my vali to my gungnir for the first time (was using modi-vali before I bought the gungnir-valhalla) and although I thought the vali was better out of the gungnir than the modi it still wasn't as good as the modi-valhalla for my hd 650s . As far as the gungnir goes it was a noticeable improvement over the modi but the modi-valhalla is a good starting point for any hd-650 owners not looking to spend too much.

 

[Byronb]

Indeed the Valhalla is a wonderful amp.

 

[latimerfripp]

My Schiit Vali. using a MF M1DAC for now, thinking about buying a Lyr amp and Uber USB Bifrost(anyone can compare between the bifrost and the m1dac by the way?)
 
 

 

[tuna47]

Never heard the m1 but really enjoy the bifrost uber and lyr combo with the HE 500

 

[TeskR]

My Lyr arrived today and I have to say first impressions are very good, using my AT A900Xs on it until my Alpha Dogs arrive tomorrow and it already sounds great with these HPs.

Quite happy

 

[Rossliew]

  Getting the urge to upgrade my Little Dot Mk 3. Was thinking either a Vali or a Valhalla. Have any of you had to chance to listen to a Mk3 and either of those amps? I am thinking probably Valhalla as it is a very similar amp to the Mk 3 in design and everything.

The LD Mk 3 uses different tubes from the Valhalla. I have the Mk 3 with my HD600/800 but have not heard the Valhalla with either of my cans. Thus far, for the price, i find the LD to be quite an enjoyable listen with punchy sound and sweet mids. And tube rolling is a joy with lots of good support/examples in the Little Dot Tube Rolling thread. It is powerful enough to drive my HD800 as well.
 
Having said that, the Vali is a more versatile amp, able to power most low and high impedance headphones. I use it with my HD800 as well, to great effect. Very musical although (depending on the source) the dynamics can feel a little compressed. With my main rig i.e. analog front end of basic Project RPM1.3 TT and DIY phono stage, the sound reproduced is pretty robust. Similarly with my Unison Research tubed CDP. However, when played on my desktop rig i.e. Acer laptop via Modi into the Vali, it may sound a little lean (on the HD800) but that could be also due to the recording itself. All in all, the Vali provides a musically satisfying listen and with that kinda pricing, you can't go wrong.

 

[latimerfripp]

I can get the Schiit Lyr and the Violectric v200 for the same price, using LCD 2 REV2. will be using Schiit UberUSB Bifrost DAC.
anyone can compare between the two amps? thanks

 

[nailbunny7]

I owned the Lyr for a bit and tried the Violectric at a show a few times, but I prefer the Lyr out of the two for LCD2s (which I used with my Lyr). They were practically designed to be used with Audez'e. I also preferred the tube rolling capabilities to customize the sound to my liking.
 
On another note (hoping Jason will chime in here if it will), I would like to buy the Valhalla for my desktop at home, but the only thing preventing me from doing so is a lack of preamp outputs, because I would like to run it to my power amp to power my desktop speakers.

 

[icc900]

Helpful...Thanks for sharing.