[Wildcatsare1]

That's interesting to hear. Do you think I would get impressed going from an Essence STX to a Schiit tube amp? Do you feel like the "improvements" in coloring and detail are significant?

To be honest, I am too new to "Head Fi" to really give meaningful advice, I am still learning.

What I do feel comfortable talking about is the fantastic synergy between the Valhalla and the 650's. My past experience with OTL Amps was with Electrostatic Speakers, a similar synergy. In a bit different way, I am not an engineer, health care, so assistance/correction of my attempt at explanation is appreciated. I believe OTL Amps have a synergy with higher resistant loads, with my older SoundLabs the resistance is higher on the low end, so simply said OTL's provide greater control, with the 650's specifically, I don't have direct experience with others or know enough about Head Fi to recommend existing threads/posts (again feel free to jump in experienced Head Fi'rs), but the 300 ohm load of the 650's has a synergy with OTL's, though IMO, across the sound spectrum, from low/mid/high, tighter bass, clearer midrange, better quality highs, the Valhalla opens up the sound of the 650's in my limited experience, this combination sounds wonderful.

I guess a long winded reply to say yes, give the Valhalla, Valhalla 2's a listen with your 650's, I believe you will love them.

 

[olegausany]

But you think Lyr 2 will be able to do a better job with LCD2?

 

[madwolfa]

But you think Lyr 2 will be able to do a better job with LCD2?

 
Lyr 2 page says you should be good with efficient planars like LCD2.

 

[MattTCG]

I guess the jury is still out on the lyr2. No reviews yet and no one has one in hand yet. Possibly, the real advantage to the lyr2 is the gain switch and therefore increasing the hp possibilities that were not available with the original  lyr. Whether or not it truly makes an appreciable difference in sound quality remains to be seen. I have high hopes though. 
 
Those boys at Schiit know there stuff. Big props to them. 

 

[Suncatcher]

You definitely should. How much depends on your sound signature preference

 

To be honest, I am too new to "Head Fi" to really give meaningful advice, I am still learning.

What I do feel comfortable talking about is the fantastic synergy between the Valhalla and the 650's. My past experience with OTL Amps was with Electrostatic Speakers, a similar synergy. In a bit different way, I am not an engineer, health care, so assistance/correction of my attempt at explanation is appreciated. I believe OTL Amps have a synergy with higher resistant loads, with my older SoundLabs the resistance is higher on the low end, so simply said OTL's provide greater control, with the 650's specifically, I don't have direct experience with others or know enough about Head Fi to recommend existing threads/posts (again feel free to jump in experienced Head Fi'rs), but the 300 ohm load of the 650's has a synergy with OTL's, though IMO, across the sound spectrum, from low/mid/high, tighter bass, clearer midrange, better quality highs, the Valhalla opens up the sound of the 650's in my limited experience, this combination sounds wonderful.

I guess a long winded reply to say yes, give the Valhalla, Valhalla 2's a listen with your 650's, I believe you will love them.

Thanks for the replies. It seems like the big difference won't be on the quality part, but more to the coloring of the sound. I have almost zero experience with amps and headphones, meaning that my combo is the first respectable thing I ever bought and never heard any other headphones or amps. But I feel like my current setup outputs an unbelievable true and neutral to dark sound signature. Classical music on this scheme is mind blowing. Experience level is off the charts.
 
But I imagine a Schiit tube amp would definitely get me amazed too with a different coloring. Unfortunately I would need to buy one to find out, and if you live in Brazil you would know how much more products cost around here (a brazilian is paid 4 times less than a person in US, and products are also 4 times more expensive than in US due to our world record taxes). We need to work our asses off to buy high end gear.
 
I'm planning to buy a tube amp in a few years, but it will take a good while to save the money.

 

[madwolfa]

 
But I imagine a Schiit tube amp would definitely get me amazed too with a different coloring. 

 
By the way, neither SS nor tube Schiit amplifier would be specifically "colored". They're all pretty neutral, as any other well-engineered amp should be, regardless the technology.
It's all about the design. And all of them are designed to be accurate.
 
In fact, I believe the new Lyr and Valhalla would be as close to SS as ever (as they got very close in specs, including output impedance). Sans the tube romance...

 

[Suncatcher]

   
By the way, neither SS nor tube Schiit amplifier would be specifically "colored". They're all pretty neutral, as any other well-engineered amp should be, regardless the technology.
It's all about the design. And all of them are designed to be accurate.

If the coloring difference would be minimal, where would the changes be noticed? I mean, an Essence STX is already amazingly precise. Can a tube amp actually output a more true and detailed sound, to the point you can actually hear the difference?

 

[Wildcatsare1]

Thanks for the replies. It seems like the big difference won't be on the quality part, but more to the coloring of the sound. I have almost zero experience with amps and headphones, meaning that my combo is the first respectable thing I ever bought and never heard any other headphones or amps. But I feel like my current setup outputs an unbelievable true and neutral to dark sound signature. Classical music on this scheme is mind blowing. Experience level is off the charts.

But I imagine a Schiit tube amp would definitely get me amazed too with a different coloring. Unfortunately I would need to buy one to find out, and if you live in Brazil you would know how much more products cost around here (a brazilian is paid 4 times less than a person in US, and products are also 4 times more expensive than in US due to our world record taxes). We need to work our asses off to buy high end gear.

I'm planning to buy a tube amp in a few years, but it will take a good while to save the money.

My prior "rig" was a Fiio E09K/E17, and it was also very good, plus there may be used Schiit Gear available because of the recent upgrades. Though I haven't seen much used Schiit, once owned people tend to hold it.

My main rig sounds great, but I bought it in a past life. Now disabled (though hopefully returning to work soon), divorced (re-married to an absolute Angel), but financially in a very different World. Which is why I love Head Fi, the incremental growth, while not cheap, is attainable. God bless and happy listening!

 

[madwolfa]

  If the coloring difference would be minimal, where would the changes be noticed? I mean, an Essence STX is already amazingly precise. Can a tube amp actually output a more true and detailed sound, to the point you can actually hear the difference?

 
I can't really comment on Essense STX, but getting the DAC/amplifying out of the PC box is always a good idea. It's just too noisy in there.

 

[Suncatcher]

   
I can't really comment on Essense STX, but getting the DAC/amplifying out of the PC box is always a good idea. It's just too noisy in there.

An audible noise exists on the Essence STX, even with higher end phones like the HD 650, but check out my recent post on this page. This noise I'm talking about is absolutely humanly impossible to hear under normal conditions. You need to double the HD 650 specified ohm setting on the card and turn the volume to maximum in order to BARELY hear this background white noise.
 
The noise doesn't exist in normal conditions, or even at maximum volume with the correct ohm setting for the HD 650.

 

[madwolfa]

  An audible noise exists on the Essence STX, even with higher end phones like the HD 650, but check out my recent post on this page. This noise I'm talking about is absolutely humanly impossible to hear under normal conditions. You need to double the HD 650 specified ohm setting on the card and turn the volume to maximum in order to BARELY hear this background white noise.
 
The noise doesn't exist in normal conditions, or even at maximum volume with the correct ohm setting for the HD 650.

 
Well, I'll be honest with you - most likely you won't hear much difference even with a tube amp (unless you were upgrading from something really-really bad, which STX isn't).
But does it really matter? I see you're trying to justify, but I've stopped doing that some time ago. If you have money to burn and want yourself a new toy - go for it... Life is too short. 

 
 
(just get yourself an external DAC too)

 

[whirlwind]

The STX has a wonderful headphone amp....especially coming from a soundcard....that being said....it can not go toe to toe with the Mad Ear

 

[Suncatcher]

   
Well, I'll be honest with you - most likely you won't hear much difference even with a tube amp (unless you were upgrading from something really-really bad, which STX isn't).
But does it really matter? I see you're trying to justify, but I've stopped doing that some time ago. If you have money to burn and want yourself a new toy - go for it... Life is too short. 

 
 
(just get yourself an external DAC too)

LOL, I see. Yes, I'm looking for reasons that an upgrade would be worth it. But like I've read in a review: it doesn't get much better than this, no matter how much you pay. This applying for both STX and the HD 650.
The guy is probably right. Beyond this ground might just be a matter of subtle differences and personal taste.

 

[madwolfa]

I've started listening my HD600 through a cheap CD player headphone output and I was happy with it for years. They sound amazing from almost anything. Honestly, HD600 is the single most important factor in sound quality, aside music itself. The rest is a territory of diminishing returns SQ wise. But the whole music listening experience is not just about sound quality. There's an emotional factor too... and this is where tubes add the most flair. It's psychological, but if it's there - why ignore it? 

 

[Suncatcher]

  The STX has a wonderful headphone amp....especially coming from a soundcard....that being said....it can not go toe to toe with the Mad Ear

First time I hear about Mad Ear. I just found this picture:
 

 
I'm speechless.