[Zomgnoob]

Hey guys! I was wondering if i could get a little bit of advice pertaining to schiit amps and dacs.
Im wondering whether which combination of dac/amp the better upgrade pertaining to the devices im using. Currently im using a UE CIEM and HD800S with mojos (Completely desktop dac/ampless otherwise)
Given the price points of the various devices, i was considering between
Amps : Ragna / Mjol2
Dacs : Yggy / Gumby.

I dont think im in the position to get the best of the two worlds i.e yggy and ragna (unless the difference is that great). So i was wondering which of the combinations are the best :
Ragna/ Gumby
Yggy / Mjol2
Mjol2 / Gumby

I might incline towards Mjol2/Gumby if the differences between the top tier and 2nd tier amp/dac do not justify their price points.. Hopefully the amp/dac would also be my end gear combinations too
Thanks!

 

[Gavin C4]

I wonder will there be any specs upgrade to Schiit's dac. For example the latest A&K SP1000 DAP uses AK4497EQ dual-DAC. Whereas the Gungnir Delta sigma uses AKM AK4399 x 2 .

 

[Gavin C4]

Hey guys! I was wondering if i could get a little bit of advice pertaining to schiit amps and dacs.
Im wondering whether which combination of dac/amp the better upgrade pertaining to the devices im using. Currently im using a UE CIEM and HD800S with mojos (Completely desktop dac/ampless otherwise)
Given the price points of the various devices, i was considering between
Amps : Ragna / Mjol2
Dacs : Yggy / Gumby.

I dont think im in the position to get the best of the two worlds i.e yggy and ragna (unless the difference is that great). So i was wondering which of the combinations are the best :
Ragna/ Gumby
Yggy / Mjol2
Mjol2 / Gumby

I might incline towards Mjol2/Gumby if the differences between the top tier and 2nd tier amp/dac do not justify their price points.. Hopefully the amp/dac would also be my end gear combinations too
Thanks!

I am also interested in the choice of Schiit top tier devices. I am deciding either getting the Yaggy or Ragg for upgrade. I can only get one. I currently own the Mjol2 / Gumby stack

 

[Charente]

I have Gumby/MJ2 combination ... the MJ2 because it's a tube hybrid and I appreciate having the option of 'fine-tuning' the sound with different tubes ... altho I'm not a big roller !! No ownership experience with Ragnarok or Ygdrassil, although I have heard the Yggy ... personally, I preferred the slightly warmer (but still detailed) presentation of the Gumby.... altho Yggy is impressive. It wasn't worth an extra $1k to me personally. To a large extent, it depends what sound signature you prefer IMO.

 

[Darren G]

The MJ2 with LISST (the solid-state cans) is not my cup of tea, but with tubes I'm thoroughly satisfied. I've definitely been converted to the 'tube sound' camp. To my ears, the difference between the MJ2 with tubes, and my previous experiences with all solid-state amps is so significant, I just can't fathom an all solid-state choice, but that's just me. Others have spoken highly of Raggy.

Yggy is incredible, and I haven't heard Gumby, but those whose opinions I trust report it's very close to Yggy, a bit warmer sound; for $1000 difference, especially when you are not A/Bing, that's a lot that could go toward a headphone upgrade.

 

[Zomgnoob]

I have Gumby/MJ2 combination ... the MJ2 because it's a tube hybrid and I appreciate having the option of 'fine-tuning' the sound with different tubes ... altho I'm not a big roller !! No ownership experience with Ragnarok or Ygdrassil, although I have heard the Yggy ... personally, I preferred the slightly warmer (but still detailed) presentation of the Gumby.... altho Yggy is impressive. It wasn't worth an extra $1k to me personally. To a large extent, it depends what sound signature you prefer IMO.

The MJ2 with LISST (the solid-state cans) is not my cup of tea, but with tubes I'm thoroughly satisfied. I've definitely been converted to the 'tube sound' camp. To my ears, the difference between the MJ2 with tubes, and my previous experiences with all solid-state amps is so significant, I just can't fathom an all solid-state choice, but that's just me. Others have spoken highly of Raggy.

Yggy is incredible, and I haven't heard Gumby, but those whose opinions I trust report it's very close to Yggy, a bit warmer sound; for $1000 difference, especially when you are not A/Bing, that's a lot that could go toward a headphone upgrade.

Ohh, thanks loads for your input guys! Yeah i think i will hold back from getting the yggy then, i'll def get the gumby as my dac.
That leaves the question of ragna vs mjol2!
I was wondering if the mjol2 is a good end amp to get? Im not sure if the phrase 'jacks of all trades' is applicable here but with it being hybrid, is its attractiveness because of its hybrid ability or being able to be really good at either solid state / tubes? If its the former, i might actually get the ragna for now and save up for a dedicated tube amp in the future!
Thanks

 

[Charente]

... but with it being hybrid, is its attractiveness because of its hybrid ability or being able to be really good at either solid state / tubes? If its the former, i might actually get the ragna for now and save up for a dedicated tube amp in the future!
Thanks

I am presuming you want to drive speakers ? ...

I would say MJ2 excels at being one of the best headphone amps out there (if not THE best ?) and, yes, its hybrid qualities (with tubes) is remarkable in my setup. It will also serve duty as a pre-amp but perhaps the Ragnarok (Integrated pre & power) would probably be the way to go for speakers. I've heard it's a good headphone amp as well, altho not sure how it compares to MJ2 in this area. There are other routes in the Schiit lineup of course ... Saga (or even Freya) + Vidar is very tempting to me.

 

[Zomgnoob]

I am presuming you want to drive speakers ? ...

I would say MJ2 excels at being one of the best headphone amps out there (if not THE best ?) and, yes, its hybrid qualities (with tubes) is remarkable in my setup. It will also serve duty as a pre-amp but perhaps the Ragnarok (Integrated pre & power) would probably be the way to go for speakers. I've heard it's a good headphone amp as well, altho not sure how it compares to MJ2 in this area. There are other routes in the Schiit lineup of course ... Saga (or even Freya) + Vidar is very tempting to me.

I have only a mere Audioengine A5+ speakers that im powering through a $150 dac/amp. I wish to focus more on the ability of the device to power headphones, having the speakers connectivity is just a mere plus!

Thanks for your insights in the mjol2s though, the only reason why im hesitant to get it is that i might invest in a pure tube amp in the future (looking at you woo audio!) and im not sure if i'll be using the tube component of the mjol2 after that. Im really not sure how the capabilities of the mjol2 compare to the ragnarok in terms of headphones capabilities. Of course, i think i should heavily consider the mjol2 and gumby as my end gear.. Its definitely cheaper and sounds wiser on my part..
I wish i could demo these units that i have interest in, but there arent any shops with schiit products to demo unless i take a 4 hour flight away haha! Relying on online reviews sure is a messy process!

 

[vibin247]

Hey guys! I was wondering if i could get a little bit of advice pertaining to schiit amps and dacs.
Im wondering whether which combination of dac/amp the better upgrade pertaining to the devices im using. Currently im using a UE CIEM and HD800S with mojos (Completely desktop dac/ampless otherwise)
Given the price points of the various devices, i was considering between
Amps : Ragna / Mjol2
Dacs : Yggy / Gumby.

I dont think im in the position to get the best of the two worlds i.e yggy and ragna (unless the difference is that great). So i was wondering which of the combinations are the best :
Ragna/ Gumby
Yggy / Mjol2
Mjol2 / Gumby

I might incline towards Mjol2/Gumby if the differences between the top tier and 2nd tier amp/dac do not justify their price points.. Hopefully the amp/dac would also be my end gear combinations too
Thanks!

If you get a chance to visit Southern California, you should definitely visit The Schiitr in Santa Clarita. I was able to demo my latest purchase there, a Bifrost 4490, as well as other setups, including a Mjolnir and Gugnir Multibit, both of which are awesome and it's definitely my future setup. I think they also have the Ragnarok - Yggdrasil setup in their speaker room, but double check with their staff.

 

[Darren G]

The Mjol2 with LISST did nothing for me. I guess it sounded like a reasonably pleasant SS amp, but the Mjol2 comes alive with tubes. As a pure SS amp, I couldn't live with it personally. Even if it is accurate, to me it sounds flat, repetitive, lacking warmth, the sense of holographic sound stage disappears, the tone of all instruments blah, that annoying digital buzz/glare bugs me, and yea, just not for me.

With tubes though, the Mjol2 comes alive, tons of slam; echos, reverbs, the tone of the instruments doesn't sound one note, and I could go on and on, but it's very enjoyable.

Haven't heard the Raggy, but I expect to keep the Mjol2 a long time. I have 3 sets of tubes and they all have unique characteristics. The 'option' to swap, even if used rarely is a big plus for me. Oh and also with low noise 6922's, the amp is dead quiet. No hiss, hum, or buzz. The LISST on the other hand are a little bit noisy, not terribly so, and Schiit warns of this fact, but with efficient headphones I can hear it and bugs me because I know how quiet the amp can be.

 

[Charente]

I have only a mere Audioengine A5+ speakers that im powering through a $150 dac/amp. I wish to focus more on the ability of the device to power headphones, having the speakers connectivity is just a mere plus!

Thanks for your insights in the mjol2s though, the only reason why im hesitant to get it is that i might invest in a pure tube amp in the future (looking at you woo audio!) and im not sure if i'll be using the tube component of the mjol2 after that. Im really not sure how the capabilities of the mjol2 compare to the ragnarok in terms of headphones capabilities. Of course, i think i should heavily consider the mjol2 and gumby as my end gear.. Its definitely cheaper and sounds wiser on my part..
I wish i could demo these units that i have interest in, but there arent any shops with schiit products to demo unless i take a 4 hour flight away haha! Relying on online reviews sure is a messy process!

Oh, OK ... so majoring on headphones ... If it was me, I'd just focus on what is best for you now ... your future plans for a Woo Headphone Amp are for another day and, unless I'm missing something in your dilemma, unconnected to your current requirement. Maybe someone else can chip in about the Ragnarok as a headphone amp .... The MJ2/GMB pairing from my own experience, and as others above have mentioned, is a wonderful and a significant step up from what you might have currently. Before I got the MJ2 I had never had a tube amp of any sort ... it took a bit of convincing in my head, and now there is no going back. For the money, it's great value ... well above its price point. And... you don't have to spend a lot on tubes ... I have recently tried some reasonably inexpensive GE 5670W tubes (via a converter) and they sound superb ... airiness and detail is abundant.

The 'Schiitr' is a lot further for me !! ... and yes, it is a bit of a trial buying something 'at arms length'. We're all here to help if we can.

 

[Charente]

Just as a further thought ... before I got the MJ2 I actually bought the LYR2 first ... and actually, that is also an impressive headphone amp as well ... with the right tubes. I've actually kept that and I still use it in a secondary setup in my office in the daytime. However, in hindsight I should have gone straight to the MJ2, albeit it is almost twice the price ... but no regrets ... all part of the learning curve !

 

[Niggi183]

Going from Vali 2 to Valhalla 2 worth it? Since I decided to keep my HD 650s as main drivers for quite some time now, is going to OTL make much of a difference?

 

[vibin247]

Going from Vali 2 to Valhalla 2 worth it? Since I decided to keep my HD 650s as main drivers for quite some time now, is going to OTL make much of a difference?

How about the Lyr 2? If you want the most versatility with different headphones, that's what I would want to buy. I bought the Valhalla 2 for my HD-650s and other high impedance headphones, but they do need quite a bit of adjustment for lower impedance headphones. Otherwise, tube rolling with Valhalla 2 with high impedance headphones is a very satisfying experience.

 

[FLTWS]

I own both the MJ2 and Ragnarok (as well as the Jotunheim) for 16, 13, and 12 months respectively, and so no axe to grind with respect to favoring any one of them over the others. I've been listening between the 3 over the past year (all balanced in / balanced out, and with my Utopias since March 2017 and the HD800 since July 2016). At this point I wouldn't be without either the MJ2 or Ragnarok, they both sound that good to my ears. I've been rolling 12 different matched pairs of tubes from the stock on up to Amperex 7308 vintage Gold Pins and Telefunken E88CC's in my MJ2. The tube pair I keep coming back to time and again are the NOS 5670's I picked up at music direct for $99.00 the pair. (I keep forgetting to order a backup pair). They really make my MJ2 come alive for me especially with vocals. And in comparing the MJ2 with 5670's to my Ragnarok I am very impressed with the air, dynamics, attack and decay characteristics, and the hard hitting bass the MJ2 displays and how very close it is sonically to the Ragnarok. The Ragnarok sounds a little laid back in the mids where the MJ2 sounds a little forward. Bass and highs are as good as the recording allows either amp to reproduce.

The MJ2 is not tube-y sounding to my ears, I usually associate that traditional tube sound with amps that use output transformers.

I listen mostly to large scale orchestral music and my ears tell me the slightly relaxed mid-range presentation with the Ragnarok suits the aggressively over-miked recordings that started being produced in the early 70's. But the MJ2 is very seductive with vocals and a good all around-er with a variety of genres including large orchestral, jazz, rock, and film soundtracks.

I'm just glad I don't have to choose between the two. Sometimes I actually have to look and see which one of the two I've got the phones plugged into, (especially with the 5670's), they are both just that enjoyable.

So my suggestion would be, if you already have an MJ2, find the tubes that do it for you and focus on the best DAC you can afford. I've never heard / owned any Schiit DAC but the Yggdrasil (which I preferred over 5 other DACs I own or got some time in-home with) so I can't comment on the Gungnir Multibit or any others down the line. But multibit is the Schiit as far as I'm concerned.

The MJ2 with the right tubes (for you) is a great performer and a very good value. And no, I will not be deserting my Ragnarok (until the Ragnarok comes). I need both!