[ejwiles]

I owned the Magni and Vali at the same time and liked them both with my 880 250 Ohms.  I liked the Vali a bit more, so I sold the Magni.  Microphonics is not an issue, especially since Schiit changed their manufacturing process pretty early on.  Mine rings for about 15 seconds after I turn it on or plug in a new pair of headphones.  After that, no ringing at all.  Noise floor is not an issue with the 250 Ohm cans, mine is silent.  The noise floor problem is with low impedance cans (which Schiit does not recommend for the Vali), not with higher impedance cans.  Which version of the DT 880's are you using?  Have you tried all of three of the amps?  I have not tried the O2, but it seems to be pretty well regarded.  And also, Schiit has a well earned reputation for excellent customer service.  I would factor that in as well.  Ultimately, I would go with whichever sounded best to you.  Good luck!

 

[sexhero]

Yeah, I bought Centrance Hifi-M8 and it's on the way. I also ordered HD598, can't wait to compare the two with a more powerful amp.

 

[josh just josh]

  I owned the Magni and Vali at the same time and liked them both with my 880 250 Ohms.  I liked the Vali a bit more, so I sold the Magni.  Microphonics is not an issue, especially since Schiit changed their manufacturing process pretty early on.  Mine rings for about 15 seconds after I turn it on or plug in a new pair of headphones.  After that, no ringing at all.  Noise floor is not an issue with the 250 Ohm cans, mine is silent.  The noise floor problem is with low impedance cans (which Schiit does not recommend for the Vali), not with higher impedance cans.  Which version of the DT 880's are you using?  Have you tried all of three of the amps?  I have not tried the O2, but it seems to be pretty well regarded.  And also, Schiit has a well earned reputation for excellent customer service.  I would factor that in as well.  Ultimately, I would go with whichever sounded best to you.  Good luck!

I have the 250 ohm pro's. I don't have anyway of trying any of the amps unfortunately so I have to rely on other people's opinions. Did you find the magni to be bright?

 

[pp312]

I'm always amazed at people agonising over which HP amp will or won't cure the DT880s treble peak. Fact is, none of them will, but if you go and buy a quality integrated amp a touch to the left on the treble control will work wonders. You cannot cure a peak like that with synergy, but you'd be surprised how effective a tone control is in simply reducing the glare and letting you get on with listening without wincing. (Of course if you're listening from a computer you've already got the answer in EQing, but I never listen from my computer; to me a computer is purely for making unread posts like this one). That's the thing about the 880. All HPs have faults, but few are as easy to alleviate by the simplest of means as the 880s.    

 

[ccash]

Makes you wonder why more headphone amps don't have tone controls. They're really useful!

 

[pp312]

Add a remote control to that too. Equally useful.

 

[Chris J]

Makes you wonder why more headphone amps don't have tone controls. They're really useful!

For some weird reason audiophiles hate tone controls.
What?

 

[josh just josh]

Actually, I do have a quality integrated amp that I use at home that works very well with my headphones, but I am looking for something to use at work. I don't even have a problem with the dt880's sound signature, in fact I love it. If anything, i am looking for an neutral amp that will drive them cleanly without mucking up its tone. My concern is that the amp will add treble energy and make a somewhat bright headphone overly bright. I have read reports that the magni is overly bright.

 

[riverlethe]

I'm always amazed at people agonising over which HP amp will or won't cure the DT880s treble peak. Fact is, none of them will, but if you go and buy a quality integrated amp a touch to the left on the treble control will work wonders. You cannot cure a peak like that with synergy, but you'd be surprised how effective a tone control is in simply reducing the glare and letting you get on with listening without wincing. (Of course if you're listening from a computer you've already got the answer in EQing, but I never listen from my computer; to me a computer is purely for making unread posts like this one). That's the thing about the 880. All HPs have faults, but few are as easy to alleviate by the simplest of means as the 880s.    

Can I double plus vote this? Anyway, I disagree with the premise that the Dt880's are bright. The flaw exists in the recording. Etymotics and Grados are bright. The DT880 is neutral.

 

[TrollDragon]

Can I double plus vote this? Anyway, I disagree with the premise that the Dt880's are bright. The flaw exists in the recording. Etymotics and Grados are bright. The DT880 is neutral.

You own the DT880's Yes?

 

[genclaymore]

Each person has a difference meaning of headphones that either bright, warm or neutral to them as people ears are different. Like what bright to me, might not be bright to the next guy and so forth.  I didn't find the DT880 premium 600 bright, I wanted more from them then what they offered me, which why I went to a Beyerdynamic T90 which exactly what I wanted. Just in the process switching to a Bifrost for a dac.

 

[josh just josh]

Everyone's hearing differs, what's bright to you may sound flat to me. I think that it also comes down to the way that you prefer to hear music. For instance, many people think that HD650's sound natural, I think that they sound overly thick and muddy and vastly prefer the DT880. Sound signatures, much like music itself, are highly subjective.

 

[riverlethe]

Everyone's hearing differs, what's bright to you may sound flat to me. I think that it also comes down to the way that you prefer to hear music. For instance, many people think that HD650's sound natural, I think that they sound overly thick and muddy and vastly prefer the DT880. Sound signatures, much like music itself, are highly subjective.

Sound preferences are subjective, but words like "neutral" are objective claims.

 

[riverlethe]

You own the DT880's Yes?

Yes, and I used to own the Etymotic ER-4s. I didn't even try Grados, after looking at a couple graphs...

 

[rodweb]

Grado's are just a little more bright than my DT880 (Premium 600Ω), which I also think are bright.