[Marlowe]

Did you need adapters for those? Also what headphones are you using?

I'm using the Tung-Sol 2C51s with Sennheiser HD700 and HD6XX. I like them a lot. Yes, you need adapters which I think are only available from Chinese vendors; cheap, but delivery to North America is slow.

 

[jeffrt]

For me the Vahalla, with the stock tubes has a overly tubey, overly bloomy, limited range sound. I tired many version of the 6922/6DJ8 and never got a good sound. I tried the stock 6N1P, cryo'd 6N1P, 6922s, 6DJ8s, 7DJ8s, 7308a, 6N23Ps (Electro Harmonix, JJ, Amperex, Siemens, Brimar ECC88s, etc.)

Finally taking one of the suggestions made here, I tried a 6CG7/6FQ7, a 1950s Tung-Sol. I guess the secret was in the neutrality of the 6SN7 type of sound needed, for my ears, to reduce the excessive bloom and allow the detail and a fuller range of frequency extension to come through to the headphones. Now this sound I can listen to and enjoy thru both Sennheiser and thru Hifiman phones.

 

[Wes S]

Interesting. . .I did not know Hifiman made a high impedance headphone.

 

[jeffrt]

Interesting. . .I did not know Hifiman made a high impedance headphone.

I am not sure if you're referring to my post.(You should quote to whichever post you are replying.)
My Hifiman phones, HE400i, have a 30 ohm impedance; not high as far as I know.

 

[Wes S]

I am not sure if you're referring to my post.(You should quote to whichever post you are replying.)
My Hifiman phones, HE400i, have a 30 ohm impedance; not high as far as I know.[/QUOT

Yep, I was referring to your post. Giving impressions of an amp, that is in no way, shape or form, "overly tubey, or overly bloomy", is very misleading to others that are interested in this amp. First off, this amp was not made for low impedance heaphones and especially Planar's. Secondly, the stock tubes are not tubey sounding at all. In fact, I have not heard of a tube, other than the WE 396A, that is even close to having the tubey sound. The Valhalla is a very neutral and clean sounding amp, and sounds awesome with the right headphones. This is not a do it all amp, even if it is advertised as such. If you want do it all, then the Lyr 3 is the Schiit amp to go for.

 

[adydula]

You would be better off with a Vahalla 2 version for these headphones, but even then this amp is not really designed with low impedance headphones in mind.....

Lyr 3 etc..

Alex

 

[jeffrt]

Yep, I was referring to your post. Giving impressions of an amp, that is in no way, shape or form, "overly tubey, or overly bloomy", is very misleading to others that are interested in this amp. First off, this amp was not made for low impedance heaphones and especially Planar's. Secondly, the stock tubes are not tubey sounding at all. In fact, I have not heard of a tube, other than the WE 396A, that is even close to having the tubey sound. The Valhalla is a very neutral and clean sounding amp, and sounds awesome with the right headphones. This is not a do it all amp, even if it is advertised as such. If you want do it all, then the Lyr 3 is the Schiit amp to go for.

Do you understand the word "impression" or the concept of "subjective"?
How on God's green earth can my OPINION be wrong? I did say, "to my ears".

Since your opinion differs from mine, I did not call your opinion, "wrong".

What is wrong with your mind? Is their no room for any opinion or point of view, in this world, except yours? That is one pretty closed mind.

I like my Valhalla the way it is now. You're entitled to like yours any way you find it good. However, y are NOT entitled to tell me that my opinion is wrong.

 

[Marlowe]

I agree that all this is subjective. In any case, I personally don't really care for the HifiMan 400i through the Valhalla 2 (I'm using stock power tubes and NOS Tung-Sol 2C51s with adapters for the drivers). Although the Valhalla 2 doesn't have a lot of power where the 400i lives, it still drives them to ear splitting volume. But something just sounds off; they sound harsher and more metallic than they should with a better suited amp. The Valhalla 2 does great with my HD700 and HD6XX. I occasionally use the 400i with a Magni 2U for games and it sounds better with that amp (which doesn't do as well with the Sennheisers, particularly the HD700).

 

[jeffrt]

I agree that all this is subjective. In any case, I personally don't really care for the HifiMan 400i through the Valhalla 2 (I'm using stock power tubes and NOS Tung-Sol 2C51s with adapters for the drivers). Although the Valhalla 2 doesn't have a lot of power where the 400i lives, it still drives them to ear splitting volume. But something just sounds off; they sound harsher and more metallic than they should with a better suited amp. The Valhalla 2 does great with my HD700 and HD6XX. I occasionally use the 400i with a Magni 2U for games and it sounds better with that amp (which doesn't do as well with the Sennheisers, particularly the HD700).

Yup, all this is 100% subjective.

I can't with which headphone amp my 400is sound better. I've only had them 1 month and only used them with the Valhalla 2 and with the Massdrop Cavalli CTH. I have not yet tried it with my original amp, McCormack Micro-headphone amp.

 

[Wes S]

Here is a useful thread, for those that want to know a little more about their OTL tube amps and what type of headphones they are made for - https://www.head-fi.org/threads/otl-amp-and-headphone-impedance-matching-question.702109/

And sure you can get sound to come out with most any headphone. . .but does it sound as good as it could or should?

 

[Erikson2k]

Here is a useful thread, for those that want to know a little more about their OTL tube amps and what type of headphones they are made for - https://www.head-fi.org/threads/otl-amp-and-headphone-impedance-matching-question.702109/

And sure you can get sound to come out with most any headphone. . .but does it sound as good as it could or should?

Thanks for the link, always looking to learn more on this topic!

 

[jeffrt]

Here is a useful thread, for those that want to know a little more about their OTL tube amps and what type of headphones they are made for - https://www.head-fi.org/threads/otl-amp-and-headphone-impedance-matching-question.702109/

And sure you can get sound to come out with most any headphone. . .but does it sound as good as it could or should?

I read this thread and understand why, in theory, the HE400is should not sound as good as they can, with a low power OTL, such as the Valhalla 2. Yet, when I changed the input tubes to 6CG7s/6FQ7s (a 9 pin 6SN7 electrical duplicate), they sounded really good. They sounded different from my Sennheiser HD580 Jubilees, but the HE400is sounded more full range. PLUS I didn't even use the high gain switch.. yet.

With the Massrop Cavalli CTH Hybrid amp (6922 input tube with solid state output), the HE400i sounded equally good but slightly more dynamic with greater detail. This is the type of amp I assume you mean to be more appropriate in its power output for the 35 ohm impedance. The Cavalli puts out 1 watt per ch. into 50 ohms.

 

[Erikson2k]

So I ordered the NOS Tung-Sol 2C51s with adapters. Listening to them for the first time now....Definitely changes the music more than any other tubes I've tried to date.

Only thing I'm worried about, is how do you pull the adapters out of the Valhalla2? They sit below the grey grills.

https://imgur.com/gallery/qlhPiu2

 

[Erikson2k]

Wow, these NOS Tung-Sol 2C51s are impressive!

I'm definitely hearing increased clarity in the mids and highs. Instrument isolation seems much apparent. Only downside is they sound a bit hollow, a bit more airy but I guess that's what allows the clarity to come through?

Check out the song "Set You Free" by Sara K. on the Hell or High Water album.
Two things worth noting.
1. Right at the start there is the sound of what sounds like crickets and bugs, these tubes are bringing those sounds through super clear whereas before I barely noticed it.
2. At 1:33 after she says "...and when it's just you and me baby", you can hear what sounds like a childs' voice in the distance for a brief moment, possibly a mastering error. Insane, I've listened to this song like 30 times and never noticed that until today. I actually turned around because I thought someone was in my room making that sound.

 

[Marlowe]

So I ordered the NOS Tung-Sol 2C51s with adapters. Listening to them for the first time now....Definitely changes the music more than any other tubes I've tried to date.

Only thing I'm worried about, is how do you pull the adapters out of the Valhalla2? They sit below the grey grills.

https://imgur.com/gallery/qlhPiu2

TBH, regardless how careful I am removing the tubes, the adapter will usually come out with them. (As did the socket savers that I used before I needed adapters; I just think the amp looks so much better with the tubes sitting up a bit.) Of course, I am 64 and decrepit--once or twice I did lose the adapter or socket saver inside the amp and had to turn the amp over and play it like those old pre-computer games that you had to tilt this way and that to get a little ball to roll into a hole.