[AnalogEuphoria]

Just starting out with desktop setups

You do realise after trying tons of cans that’s still most people’s endgame headphone. (Talking HD6X0 owners specifically)

 

[AnalogEuphoria]

Although the stack looks more aesthetic with the Pegasus on top, the Mini wasn't the happiest on the bottom. It needs more air to dissipate heat more efficiently. Probably would have been ok anyway, but the temperature difference on the amp's top must be at least 10 degrees Celsius, so I am sure the little GSX will be grateful long term.

The issue was that the Mini is wider than the Pegasus so the tiny feet did not sit on the narrower DAC. After considering several options from racks to different feet, came up with this idea of speaker cones. (The desktop space wouldn't allow me to put them next to each other.)
Still looking alright, I guess, and plenty of air for the amp to breath now.

Do you still have TT2?

 

[jonathan c]

You're just saying that since you thought it was @Wes S setup

I knew that it wasn’t Wes S’ listening station: no in-the-dark tube glow shots!

 

[betula]

Do you still have TT2?

Just sold it two days ago.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

I knew that it wasn’t Wes S’ listening station: no in-the-dark tube glow shots!

Come on, the bottom shelf is full of glowing goodies

 

[AnalogEuphoria]

Just sold it two days ago.

Oh how come? I thought you were a dedicated chord guy.

 

[betula]

Oh how come? I thought you were a dedicated chord guy.

I am a dedicated audio guy.

I like Chord sound and the TT2 a lot, but with the recent price increases and the more and more colourful and affordable competition I started to struggle justifying the TT2's price. The TT2 is nice, detailed, spacious with good instrument placement but also quite neutral and occasionally a little thin (I would never dare to say 'boring').
So, the two sides of the coin behind this decision were finances and subjective sonic preference.

It all started with R2R DACs. Once you go R2R I think there is no turning back. At least for me there wasn't. Chord DACs are a lot better than traditional delta/sigma DACs when it comes to spaciousness and lifelikeness, but at the end of the day Rob's revolutionary FPGA design is 'just' a supremely perfectionist delta/sigma DAC.
More decent R2R DACs best even Chord when it comes to lifelike sound reproduction (texture, timbre) giving a more natural and analogue feel to the sound; and they don't fall behind in 3D spaciousness either. Some companies realised this and spent a lot of time and money perfecting R2R technology in the last few years which resulted in technically better and better and more and more affordable R2R DACs on the market. (TT2 is almost 4 years old now and 20% more expensive than it used to be.)

To cut a long story short I wanted some life and colour (euphonic engagement factor) in my sound with the least amount of compromise in technicalities. The Pegasus DAC (with SR Purple fuse) and the GSX Mini give me just that. And I saved some money too.

It is about subjective preferences and budget at the end of the day for each of us. I have found a very sweet subjective spot for myself which is rather rare. The TT2 is more neutral and better at micro-dynamics but I find my Pegasus combo a lot more fun and musically more engaging while it is still surprisingly good at technicalities. As always, YMMV.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

... but I find my Pegasus combo a lot more fun and musically more engaging while it is still surprisingly good at technicalities.

Audio-gd R8 or R7, and done!

 

[betula]

Audio-gd R8 or R7, and done!

I am aware that Audio-GD has a strong following, but those DACs are just ginormous! 15kg is quite substantial. I need to stay more 'mobile'.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

I am aware that Audio-GD has a strong following, but those DACs are just ginormous! 15kg is quite substantial. I need to stay more 'mobile'.

True enough. Most of us had to build a new wing on the Old Homestead

 

[Ciggavelli]

To my ears and my personal opinion, yes! Besides, it is really not just the best bass, but also resolution and many aspects as well. Valkyria is THE ONE and best match for dCS Lina stack ( even the dCS folks at Canjam SoCal agree with me). I haven’t listened to it via my Riviera though but I suppose the synergy must be good between the dynamic monster to the smooth riviera sound. Would love to hear the sound impression from the user and owner @simorag. @simorag just inspired me for another great synergy with my system!

PS. I am also super impressed by Spirit’s own solid and dynamic sounding amp. I can totally imagine that amp be more amazing with cans as Hifiman and Audeze.


In my humble opinion, their headphones could stand toe to toe and even slay so many big names out there in the market. I think American audiophiles will love that big, masculine, dynamic Italian sound after hearing it in the RIGHT systems.

Compared to DACs and cables, I think the price of headphones is more apportionate to their performances, making the cans more worthwhile for investment. Yes Valkyrie even topples the price above my beloved Susvara and Stax X9000, there must be reasons for that from engineering, materials used, design, to the most important factor: the sound, to be explored myself!

Just found out the US dealer @justin w. for purchase, I am gonna try it in my reference system:
https://www.headamp.com/products/spirit-torino-valkyria

I've started to get interested in the Valkyria again after reading that it has good bass in several places now. How does it compare to planar bass, specifically the TCs and Susvaras?

 

[jonathan c]

I am a dedicated audio guy.

I like Chord sound and the TT2 a lot, but with the recent price increases and the more and more colourful and affordable competition I started to struggle justifying the TT2's price. The TT2 is nice, detailed, spacious with good instrument placement but also quite neutral and occasionally a little thin (I would never dare to say 'boring').
So, the two sides of the coin behind this decision were finances and subjective sonic preference.

It all started with R2R DACs. Once you go R2R I think there is no turning back. At least for me there wasn't. Chord DACs are a lot better than traditional delta/sigma DACs when it comes to spaciousness and lifelikeness, but at the end of the day Rob's revolutionary FPGA design is 'just' a supremely perfectionist delta/sigma DAC.
More decent R2R DACs best even Chord when it comes to lifelike sound reproduction (texture, timbre) giving a more natural and analogue feel to the sound; and they don't fall behind in 3D spaciousness either. Some companies realised this and spent a lot of time and money perfecting R2R technology in the last few years which resulted in technically better and better and more and more affordable R2R DACs on the market. (TT2 is almost 4 years old now and 20% more expensive than it used to be.)

To cut a long story short I wanted some life and colour (euphonic engagement factor) in my sound with the least amount of compromise in technicalities. The Pegasus DAC (with SR Purple fuse) and the GSX Mini give me just that. And I saved some money too.

It is about subjective preferences and budget at the end of the day for each of us. I have found a very sweet subjective spot for myself which is rather rare. The TT2 is more neutral and better at micro-dynamics but I find my Pegasus combo a lot more fun and musically more engaging while it is still surprisingly good at technicalities. As always, YMMV.

Amen to the non-over-sampling R2R DAC…..natural rendition vs technicolour reconstruction…..

 

[karloil]

You do realise after trying tons of cans that’s still most people’s endgame headphone. (Talking HD6X0 owners specifically)

Being mostly on portable setups (IEMs, DAPs, etc) since I started this hobby eons ago - the only main stayer for cans in my line-up ever since I started is the 600. In Singapore, we are blessed to audition cans at will (different brands and at any price point). While I was mostly focused on IEMs, I still do audition/listen to cans just for the heck of it. And yes, I understand why people still speak highly of these cans.

Like some, lockdown did change my outlook in this hobby and that's why I'm now starting out with desktop setups. And yes, I know that A LOT in the hobby still go back to the 6XX family after owning tons of (and more expensive) cans. That's why I call them "timeless cans" - as they really stood the test of time.

With its well known sound signature, easily modded, cheaply priced (at least at Sennheiser Singapore) - it's a no brianer that people are always (almost) are drawn back to them - and eventually call them their "endgame" cans (although I really don't believe in endgame in this hobby)

 

[simorag]

I've started to get interested in the Valkyria again after reading that it has good bass in several places now. How does it compare to planar bass, specifically the TCs and Susvaras?

The Valkyria bass is very different from the best renditions of planar bass (TC, LCD4, Susvara in my order of preference).

First things first, strictly speaking about extension: the V. has very little sub-bass presence, in that the first octave of the frequency band is barely audible, with about nothing happening below 30Hz. This alone, makes the Valkyria, in my opinion, not ideal for genres that rely strongly on synthetic bass, like EDM, hip-hop etc..

However, for most acoustic bass, like piano lowest registers, double bass, percussions, or - to a certain extent - electric bass, the Valkyria presentation is significantly more visceral, charged of energy and impactful than any planar I have tried.
Jazz, blues, orchestral music (those tympani! those fff piano octaves!), and above all, drum kits over a well driven Valkyria are a unique experience when it comes to bass content. It is as a concert-level lifelike bass exposure as you can get on headphones.

Planar bass appeals me because of the subterranean, skull-rattling oomph, which you can feel, before hearing it, and for its enveloping plushness. The Valkyria bass is more like a punch in the chest, and I mean a heavy, strong punch which shakes you and lasts longer than the airwave impact from a planar transducer.

Both versions are supremely engaging, in a very complementary way, and this is the reason why I keep both the TC and the V.

 

[Ciggavelli]

The Valkyria bass is very different from the best renditions of planar bass (TC, LCD4, Susvara in my order of preference).

First things first, strictly speaking about extension: the V. has very little sub-bass presence, in that the first octave of the frequency band is barely audible, with about nothing happening below 30Hz. This alone, makes the Valkyria, in my opinion, not ideal for genres that rely strongly on synthetic bass, like EDM, hip-hop etc..

However, for most acoustic bass, like piano lowest registers, double bass, percussions, or - to a certain extent - electric bass, the Valkyria presentation is significantly more visceral, charged of energy and impactful than any planar I have tried.
Jazz, blues, orchestral music (those tympani! those fff piano octaves!), and above all, drum kits over a well driven Valkyria are a unique experience when it comes to bass content. It is as a concert-level lifelike bass exposure as you can get on headphones.

Planar bass appeals me because of the subterranean, skull-rattling oomph, which you can feel, before hearing it, and for its enveloping plushness. The Valkyria bass is more like a punch in the chest, and I mean a heavy, strong punch which shakes you and lasts longer than the airwave impact from a planar transducer.

Both versions are supremely engaging, in a very complementary way, and this is the reason why I keep both the TC and the V.

Thank you

I guess these wouldn't be good with hip-hop, but I think they could be a good fit for metal, especially the intricate drumming. I'm going to Can-Jam NYC in Feb, and hopefully the Valkyria is there so I can get an audition. I need to make sure to bring my own music to test out.