[rebelinho]

 
likely you should wait until it's announced to see what/how the headphone amp is implemented.

 
and that's exactly what I'll do. thanks for all the help

 

[loki993]

The big reasons to get an Asgard 2 over a Magni are:

1) Gain Switch
2) Preamp Outs

I've heard that Asgard sounds "better" than Magni, but not so much a night/day difference. So I think you should choose based on these. Magni should still be able to drive many, many models, but it lacks the utility of the second generation products.

 
 

  As mentioned above, Asgard 2 is more versatile, but I have little confidence I'd be able to tell the two apart by sound even if I had them side-by-side.

 
I use headphones exclusively with my computer so I would see a need for preamps for my use. As for the gain that's trickier...but I wouldnt see a situation that Id ever be using IEMS at my computer at home either aside from testing purposes. 
 

  Bad news on the Mani front.  Isolated the problem to the Mani, most likely the wall wart.  I read where the thin wire can act like an antenna.  Seems that's what's going on here.  I plugged the TT directly into the Lyr, and with the volume damn near max'd, I heard music and no static.  Added the Mani to the chain and got instant static.  Pity, as I like it a lot, but this is the only location I can use.
 
Back to the drawing board.  Should I get a Cambridge or try something far less expensive?  I already no I'm going to miss the gain settings on the Mani.

 
So is that issue just your TT or do you think it would be an issue with a lot of them? I nearly literally have my finger on the trigger for one of these as soon as I get paid friday.....

 

[ThurstonX]

 
So is that issue just your TT or do you think it would be an issue with a lot of them? I nearly literally have my finger on the trigger for one of these as soon as I get paid friday.....

 
Neither.  It's the environment.  I plugged the TT directly into the Lyr.  No noise, even when cranked.  Added the Mani, got the noise.  Tested in another location with a Kenwood AVR + speakers, and a portable + cans.  Maybe heard a little somethin' with the cans, but that was with no music and volume cranked.  Didn't notice anything with the AVR + speakers.

All that tells me it's the environment, specifically WiFi signals.  When I disabled the WiFi adapter in the PC, I still had the noise.  When I enabled the adapter, the pops/crackles turned into a screech (adapter searching for signal).  After it connected, the problem went back to pops/crackles, with an occasional longer noise (not like the aforementioned screech).  I changed to a new adapter today, set it to use the 5 GHz channel, but of course the wall wart's wire antenna just picked that up, too.  Yes, my assumption is the wall wart.  Read quite a few posts on various forums spanning a decade or so, and the wall wart came up quite often.  The funniest were people saying they were picking up radio stations.  Well, not so funny for them.
 
I like the Mani, and wish it would have worked out in that environment.  I like all the gain settings.  I love that it stacks on top of my SYS perfectly.  C'est la vie.  And I like Schiit's 15-Day return policy.  Gave me ample time to try it out.  I won't try another preamp unless the company offers a similar policy.  Maybe a cheap-o Audio-Technica TT with built-in preamp is the only thing that will work.  Maybe even that won't work.  Still have a few things to try.
 
So, I'd say buy that schiit with confidence.  Just keep the 15-day policy in mind.  Hope it works out for you 

 

[Wildcatsare1]

is the lyr 2 that much better than valhalla 2?

im getting the uber bifrost for sure
but not sure on the amp

i have hd 600s and will prob get better headphones in time

not sure on what way to go

The Valhalla 2, or original, is absolute magic with high impedence headphones, had the Valhalla with my 650's and loved it. My Lyr 2 is wonderful with my 560, it's fantastic with planars.

 

[CJs06]

So I have been listening to my turntable setup (see signature) and the only system I've heard that I liked more (subjective "better") was a Auralic Vega > Cavalli Audio Liquid Glass > Mr Speakers Alpha Dogs listening to Creedance Clearwater in DSD format. However, to affirm what Thurston is experiencing with the Mani, I definitely hear alot of static noise with the Mani in my chain (even compared to the Pro-Ject Phono Box I was using earlier).
 
Bottom line, some static noise that I only hear when there is no music playing will not remove me from using this setup... oh no

 
Anyways, I am curious what things I can do in order to possibly reduce the static noise. Power related tweaks come to mind but please don't suggest a $500 isolated power cord, or a gear levatation device... lol.

 

[rmullins08]

Some people have suggested that even having the the power cables touching could lead to the static.  I would just check to see if they are tangled a bit.

 

[CJs06]

  Some people have suggested that even having the the power cables touching could lead to the static.  I would just check to see if they are tangled a bit.

Yeah I already cleared up the cables and that didn't really make a difference as far as I could tell.

 

[ThurstonX]

  So I have been listening to my turntable setup (see signature) and the only system I've heard that I liked more (subjective "better") was a Auralic Vega > Cavalli Audio Liquid Glass > Mr Speakers Alpha Dogs listening to Creedance Clearwater in DSD format. However, to affirm what Thurston is experiencing with the Mani, I definitely hear alot of static noise with the Mani in my chain (even compared to the Pro-Ject Phono Box I was using earlier).
 
Bottom line, some static noise that I only hear when there is no music playing will not remove me from using this setup... oh no

 
Anyways, I am curious what things I can do in order to possibly reduce the static noise. Power related tweaks come to mind but please don't suggest a $500 isolated power cord, or a gear levatation device... lol.

 
You're fortunate the static noise is not there when you've got music.  For me, it cut right through.  I got this reply to a message I sent to phonopreamps.com:
 
We doubt very much that the wall wart is the issue; transformer types can pass noise which is induced in the room's electrical wiring, but the SMPS type we supply is pretty much immune to this. We suspect you'll find that simple physical proximity between the noise source and preamp is the only important factor, and that the RF noise is the warning sign of a progressively failing computer power supply rather than noise generated by the WiFi adaptor itself. Turning the adaptor on and off is changing the current load on the computer PS, and the noises you are hearing are likely generated by the computer PS as it tries to cope with insufficient filtering due to leaky or low value capacitors. If so, disabling other PS loads like hard drives and additional video cards will also affect the RF noise level.

    Return period is thirty days provided the conditions shown on our FAQ page are met.

Regards,
Ed
 

---

 
Haven't had a chance to test it with the PC off and unplugged, but I'll probably unbox the Mani later to see.  I've already got the RMA.  If it is the PSU, I'll be annoyed, since that PC is less than a year old, though it's a low-end Corsair, so cheap could very well enter into it.

 

[CJs06]

   
You're fortunate the static noise is not there when you've got music.  For me, it cut right through.  I got this reply to a message I sent to phonopreamps.com:
 
We doubt very much that the wall wart is the issue; transformer types can pass noise which is induced in the room's electrical wiring, but the SMPS type we supply is pretty much immune to this. We suspect you'll find that simple physical proximity between the noise source and preamp is the only important factor, and that the RF noise is the warning sign of a progressively failing computer power supply rather than noise generated by the WiFi adaptor itself. Turning the adaptor on and off is changing the current load on the computer PS, and the noises you are hearing are likely generated by the computer PS as it tries to cope with insufficient filtering due to leaky or low value capacitors. If so, disabling other PS loads like hard drives and additional video cards will also affect the RF noise level.

    Return period is thirty days provided the conditions shown on our FAQ page are met.

Regards,
Ed
 

---

 
Haven't had a chance to test it with the PC off and unplugged, but I'll probably unbox the Mani later to see.  I've already got the RMA.  If it is the PSU, I'll be annoyed, since that PC is less than a year old, though it's a low-end Corsair, so cheap could very well enter into it.

I have my Mac Mini plugged up to the same power strip my system is on. I guess I could play around with isolating the devices a bit, I dunno.

 

[ThurstonX]

  I have my Mac Mini plugged up to the same power strip my system is on. I guess I could play around with isolating the devices a bit, I dunno.

 
It definitely takes a lot of experimenting.  FWIW, I moved the Mani about as far from that PC as I could (~7 feet), and used a different outlet via power strip.  Still got the static, but didn't try the disable/enable WiFi adapter test.  Static at that location was enough.  I still think it's the wall wart; that or the Mani itself.  If the PSU is that bad, why haven't I heard it before?  I've got loads of audio gear in that room.
 
Good luck.

 

[Themorganlett85]

Just got my Beyerdynamic DT990s in today and so far I'm totally blown away, I may actually like them a little better than my HD650s. They sound AMAZING with my Valhalla 2.

 

[CJs06]

 

 

  Just got my Beyerdynamic DT990s in today and so far I'm totally blown away, I may actually like them a little better than my HD650s. They sound AMAZING with my Valhalla 2.

The DT990s are really underrated, I haven't tried the 600ohm version yet, but I can't imagine there would be much difference in sound signature.

 

[huberd]

I agree, I like my DT990 they sound really nice with the Valhalla. 

 

[huberd]

I even like the DT-990's better than the T1. Much better and more musical. 

 

[Wildcatsare1]

It definitely takes a lot of experimenting.  FWIW, I moved the Mani about as far from that PC as I could (~7 feet), and used a different outlet via power strip.  Still got the static, but didn't try the disable/enable WiFi adapter test.  Static at that location was enough.  I still think it's the wall wart; that or the Mani itself.  If the PSU is that bad, why haven't I heard it before?  I've got loads of audio gear in that room.

Good luck.
[/quote

I am not an EE, but experience tells me the extremely sensitive amp/gain in the Mani is picking up RFI/EMI"?