[LightDarkSonic]

Hi, Have a E17 at the moment and thinking about upgrading, I'm thiking in getting a Magni 2 or Magni 2 Uber, don't know which one, also I'm open to more suggestions, maybe buying a DAC too. Will be used to power an HD 598, DT 880 and a Yamaha Pro 400 mainly

 

[cossix]

I think the Magni 2 is the most you'd ever need for those headphones. Puts out a ton of power and looks absolutely great. You don't need the uber unless you want to run speakers from it as well. IMHO upgrading to the Magni 2 will give only just a bit of noticeable benefit, but will definitely be a good idea if you ever want to upgrade to a more power hungry headphone. It even drives the HD650 decently well!

 

[LightDarkSonic]

I do plan on getting HD 650 further down the line so it's nice to hear it, but how much of an improvement we are talking about? Is it a good idea to pick up the Modi 2 while I'm at it? Also I guess it will drive my DT 880 pro 250 better as depending on source it can get a little low on the E17 and I have to push the gain to 12 and it doesn't sound as good there.

 

[cossix]

I do plan on getting HD 650 further down the line so it's nice to hear it, but how much of an improvement we are talking about? Is it a good idea to pick up the Modi 2 while I'm at it? Also I guess it will drive my DT 880 pro 250 better as depending on source it can get a little low on the E17 and I have to push the gain to 12 and it doesn't sound as good there.

The Magni 2 would be a great upgrade in that case. It works great with the 650 as well as almost any other headphone. A lot of people get the Magni 2 and keep it for life; I'd say it's the best amp in terms of value

 

[LightDarkSonic]

Then I guess I will get one, and what do you think about the Most 2 is it a good deal? And what about the Modi Multibit? Heard it's a good upgrade over the Modi 2.

 

[cossix]

Modi 2 and Magni 2 are arguably the best value for money hands down. American made, sexy as hell, amazing quality, and excellent customer support. As far as adding a dac to your chain, it'll be a nice upgrade in terms of detail. I've never heard the Multibit but I hear very consistently that it's noticeably better than the Modi 2. I think Multibit is overkill with your current setup to be honest. The 598 doesn't scale as well as something like the 650. You'll get good use from the Schiit Stack, but anything more and it isn't quite worth it unless you upgrade your headphones.

 

[LightDarkSonic]

Thing is my 598 isn't my only headphone I also do happen to have a DT 880 too, still considering between regular and uber versions, Modi 2 uber with its optical input looks specially tempting.

 

[cossix]

Thing is my 598 isn't my only headphone I also do happen to have a DT 880 too, still considering between regular and uber versions, Modi 2 uber with its optical input looks specially tempting.

It all depends on what setup you have. It's nice to have options down the road for sure though. The only reason I have the Modi 2 Uber is because I got a great deal online for the stack and it happened to have the Uber. Never used the extra I/O because I upgraded the stack within a year but for somebody who actually might need optical, it's a great choice

 

[LightDarkSonic]

Guess I will get a Magni 2/Modi 2 then, also I've seen your signature that you have a HD 650 and a Jontunheim, how well does it run balanced? And what are tthe benefits of it?

 

[serman005]

As good as a value as the Modi 2 is, the Modi Multibit is a significant upgrade in overall sound quality in my opinion.

 

[LightDarkSonic]

How much of an improvement would you say? Sound signature-wise it's the same?

 

[cossix]

Guess I will get a Magni 2/Modi 2 then, also I've seen your signature that you have a HD 650 and a Jontunheim, how well does it run balanced? And what are tthe benefits of it?

The Jot puts insane power through the balanced headphone out, which makes a noticeable difference. It's also a bit brighter and more lively than the Magni 2 so I find myself connecting with the music more with the Jotunheim. Nobody ever talks about this but having both a single ended and balanced headphone out that both work at the same time is pretty nice. Two people can listen simultaneously without any negative effects because the amp is just that strong. It really is one chassis to rule them all; powered monitors and headphones alike

 

[serman005]

To me? It's significantly more detailed than the Modi 2, IMO. The Modi 2 is good, it is, it's just not quite at the level of the Multibit. It's $150 more than the Modi 2 but I think it is worth the difference, I do. That's just me and YMMV, as always.

 

[LightDarkSonic]

It's easy to get what changes by upgrading an amp but what about the DAC? What should I expect to change with an upgrade?

 

[serman005]

Mids are richer,lusher, transparency increases, and treble is smoother, IMO. Bass has a bit more roundness and depth. Increased detail and engagement. More lively. Those are the differences to me. Again, YMMV. Is it worth the price difference? To me, yes. I cannot of course answer for you.