[rocketron]

• For sheer / total ability to deliver music, Vali 3 does not topple Icon Audi HP8 Signature, DNA Sonett2, Violectric HPA V281 ... and others. But, at its price -- with tube 'upgrade' -- Vali 3 is ridiculously close to what the aforesaid h/p/a achieve.
• For that reason, I get a perverse (?) glee when listening with Vali 3: so much for so little !! My third-favourite headphone amplifier.

Yeah what he said

 

[cats4cans]

Liking Vali 3 so far. Still using the stock tube. Found out my Campfire Ara really don’t like them though, but Black Star is great. I always assumed they were really close in impedance and sensitivity. I rarely even make volume adjustments when switching between them. So a little perplexed. I did drop the output on my DAC to 1V from 3V to give a little more useable turn on the pot. Still had some distortion and wonkiness. Double checked Ara for function with a phone dongle. Not sure what’s going on there.
I’d been thinking about getting some Grados to go with my Tuba. Based on all the mentions in this thread I bet Vali would be a nice match for them as well. Vali only appears to be a bargain. After all the extra tubes, adapters, and headphones you just need to try with it are tallied up, it’s not quite as much of a bargain as it first appears. Oh well.

 

[MindBreak]

All the buzz in this thread and others regarding the Vali 3 is really making me get the itch to make another purchase, lol. I am trying to hold off on my next audio purchase due to just dropping $3,600 on a ZMF Atrium, pads, and cables. I am going to purchase a Yggdrasil early next year. So if Jason doesn't release the Valhalla 3 before then I will add a Vali 3 to my cart.

 

[HWB3]

Liking Vali 3 so far. Still using the stock tube. Found out my Campfire Ara really don’t like them though, but Black Star is great. I always assumed they were really close in impedance and sensitivity. I rarely even make volume adjustments when switching between them. So a little perplexed. I did drop the output on my DAC to 1V from 3V to give a little more useable turn on the pot. Still had some distortion and wonkiness. Double checked Ara for function with a phone dongle. Not sure what’s going on there.
I’d been thinking about getting some Grados to go with my Tuba. Based on all the mentions in this thread I bet Vali would be a nice match for them as well. Vali only appears to be a bargain. After all the extra tubes, adapters, and headphones you just need to try with it are tallied up, it’s not quite as much of a bargain as it first appears. Oh well.

I read a comment that I thought was accurate. Schiit wouldn't put a tube in the Vali 3 that they didn't think made their product sound good. So, while you can get other tubes and adapters to make it sound better, maybe the stock tube is good enough.

 

[Luckyleo]

I read a comment that I thought was accurate. Schiit wouldn't put a tube in the Vali 3 that they didn't think made their product sound good. So, while you can get other tubes and adapters to make it sound better, maybe the stock tube is good enough

Good enough??? Really? On this thread, and most others on Head-fi good enough isn't! LOL. We are a strange group indeed.

 

[DrMorbius]

Good enough is NOT just good enough, if you get my meaning. You have to go for that little bit more! It’s what makes life interesting!

 

[RBRIII]

So last night I was watching a movie while having the stock tube swapped back in (to listen to it more, trying to discern any differences to my other tube) and halfway through I noticed a channel imbalance on the right side with lower volume and sounding a bit scratchy. I thought to myself, oh man...is this the dreaded sign that the tube is going and there are only ~38 hours on it...was it used...things of that nature. I turned off the amp and my interface, let it sit for 2-3 min, then turned them back on and all was well. Will monitor it today while I do more listening, hopefully it was just a fluke.

That begs the question, I truly hope that Schiit gave us proper NOS and not UOS (used old stock) with our Vali's... Worst case, I could reach out to their CS dept. if it does go to see if they'll help replace it. I have another tube and one other on the way so...not really an issue for me just the principle of it I suppose.

 

[Mr Trev]

So last night I was watching a movie while having the stock tube swapped back in (to listen to it more, trying to discern any differences to my other tube) and halfway through I noticed a channel imbalance on the right side with lower volume and sounding a bit scratchy. I thought to myself, oh man...is this the dreaded sign that the tube is going and there are only ~38 hours on it...was it used...things of that nature. I turned off the amp and my interface, let it sit for 2-3 min, then turned them back on and all was well. Will monitor it today while I do more listening, hopefully it was just a fluke.

That begs the question, I truly hope that Schiit gave us proper NOS and not UOS (used old stock) with our Vali's... Worst case, I could reach out to their CS dept. if it does go to see if they'll help replace it. I have another tube and one other on the way so...not really an issue for me just the principle of it I suppose.

I find this happens. Just a couple weeks ago I was using my GE5670 in the V2 and it was making a faint high pitched ringing type noise. Shut the amp off, yoinked and reinserted the tube. Been dead quiet ever since ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[RBRIII]

I find this happens. Just a couple weeks ago I was using my GE5670 in the V2 and it was making a faint high pitched ringing type noise. Shut the amp off, yoinked and reinserted the tube. Been dead quiet ever since ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

#tubelife I guess, hehe. I was hoping I wasn't the only one, thanks for sharing your experience!

 

[Hofy]

All the buzz in this thread and others regarding the Vali 3 is really making me get the itch to make another purchase, lol. I am trying to hold off on my next audio purchase due to just dropping $3,600 on a ZMF Atrium, pads, and cables. I am going to purchase a Yggdrasil early next year. So if Jason doesn't release the Valhalla 3 before then I will add a Vali 3 to my cart.

Jason has said that the Valhalla 3 is pretty much dead in the water.

 

[MindBreak]

Jason has said that the Valhalla 3 is pretty much dead in the water.

Well I guess I will be ordering a Vali 3 with my Yggdrasil won't I, lol. We shall see, I still have like 7 to 9 months to wait anyway.

 

[jonathan c]

Good enough??? Really? On this thread, and most others on Head-fi good enough isn't! LOL. We are a strange group indeed.

Oscar Wilde (playwright): "Nothing succeeds like excess". So .... go ahead, use a $450 single tube in a $159 Vali 3 .

 

[riffrafff]

Oscar Wilde (playwright): "Nothing succeeds like excess". So .... go ahead, use a $450 single tube in a $159 Vali 3 .

Bob Weir (the Dead): "Too much of everything is just enough."

 

[Hofy]

Our contestant on tonight's episode of Guess the Tube.

 

[bcowen]

Our contestant on tonight's episode of Guess the Tube.

Looks suspiciously like a cleartop (side getter) RCA 12AU7.