CHANGSTAR: Audiophile Headphone Reviews and Early 90s Style BBS

  • December 31, 2015, 11:18:00 AM
  • Welcome, Guest
Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  
Pages: 1 2 [3] 4 5 6 7 8 ... 25

Author Topic: World Exclusive: SCHIIT VALI - The triode hybrid amp that could.  (Read 66702 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

schiit

  • Schiit Audio
  • Pirate-at-Heart
  • Pirate
  • **
  • Brownie Points: +109/-0
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 194
  • Terrible gear for the least discerning listeners.
    • Schiit Audio
Re: World Exclusive: SCHIIT VALI - The triode hybrid amp that could.
« Reply #20 on: October 09, 2013, 07:04:17 PM »
Quote from: purrin on October 09, 2013, 06:49:56 PM
Yeah, I wanted to be clear that although this thing has tubes in it, it doesn't smooth things over. The slight mid-treble bump of the Paradox is still there. The brightness in the last octave of the HE-400 is still there.

But it's possible all headphones sound on the bright side to me since my main speaker setup is what I would call a touch dark.


Quote from: schiit on October 09, 2013, 06:32:03 PM
Yep, $99. It may have to go up, since we're going to be doing a bit more work to match tubes (handling the flying leads is a pain in the ass, we need to build a test fixture) and some damping of microphonics. But even then, we're talking $119.


Anax told me he didn't want to say anything good about it because he was afraid you guys may increase the price. But he did say it's better than any other amp below $1650 that he's heard (he hasn't heard any of your other new stuff.) Personally I think you guys should price it at $1199. Or at least put it in a huge fancy chassis and price it at $1199.

Okay, one last comment, then really back to the craziness: I think it would be hilarious to do a billet aluminum version with viscoelastic tube dampers, but then again, that really ain't us. We're pretty simple-minded when it comes to pricing: what does it cost to make? What's the multiplier for direct sale? There's the price.

The good news is stuff like Vali, which is in an inexpensive chassis and is a simple product, so it can be very cheap.

The bad news is stuff like Ragnarok. Ragnarok crept way up during development, from an anticipated $1000-1100 to $1499. Of course, Ragnarok transformed from a fairly standard integrated with a pot and select switch and DC servo gain stage into something with relay-switched stepped attenuator, relay input switching, and full microprocessor management of the DC level and quiescent operating level, so it's really a different product. The microprocessor management aspect is great, because it allows us to eliminate the DC servo, so this thing really is DC all the way through, no caps, no servo, no nothing. The microprocessor also protects against any fault conditions, such as over current, shorts, over DC, etc, so no worries there. That's one of the reasons it took a billion years to develop. Two false starts will eat a ton of time.
Logged
Lots o Schiit around here.

Marvey

  • The Man For His Time And Place
  • Master
  • Pirate
  • *****
  • Brownie Points: +555/-33
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 6698
  • Captain Plankton and MOT: Eddie Current
Re: World Exclusive: SCHIIT VALI - The triode hybrid amp that could.
« Reply #21 on: October 09, 2013, 07:12:05 PM »
Quote from: schiit on October 09, 2013, 07:04:17 PM
Okay, one last comment, then really back to the craziness: I think it would be hilarious to do a billet aluminum version with viscoelastic tube dampers, but then again, that really ain't us. We're pretty simple-minded when it comes to pricing: what does it cost to make? What's the multiplier for direct sale? There's the price.




Don't be surprised if we take it upon ourselves to make a limited edition Changstar Vali chassis from billet aluminum.

Quote from: schiit on October 09, 2013, 07:04:17 PM
Ragnarok transformed from a fairly standard integrated with a pot and select switch and DC servo gain stage into something with relay-switched stepped attenuator, relay input switching, and full microprocessor management of the DC level and quiescent operating level, so it's really a different product. The microprocessor management aspect is great, because it allows us to eliminate the DC servo, so this thing really is DC all the way through, no caps, no servo, no nothing. The microprocessor also protects against any fault conditions, such as over current, shorts, over DC, etc, so no worries there. That's one of the reasons it took a billion years to develop. Two false starts will eat a ton of time.


Cool. That sounds like a Star Trek starship super-computer that keeps the warp core from exploding.
Logged

Hroðulf

  • Able Bodied Sailor
  • Pirate
  • ***
  • Brownie Points: +262/-1
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 538
  • MOT: Sonarworks
Re: World Exclusive: SCHIIT VALI - The triode hybrid amp that could.
« Reply #22 on: October 09, 2013, 07:13:04 PM »
What does the microprocessor control exactly? Quiescent currents and output relays?
Logged
If it keeps on ringin', levee's goin' to break..

Anaxilus.

  • Dikus Beligerantis Analmorticus
  • Pirate
  • **
  • Brownie Points: +65535/-65535
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 577
Re: World Exclusive: SCHIIT VALI - The triode hybrid amp that could.
« Reply #23 on: October 09, 2013, 07:23:54 PM »
It does NOT play nice w/ the UERM's crossovers.  I assumed higher output impredance but I hear that's not the case.  For some reason the UERM and TF10 don't seem to play too nice w/ their crossover setups.  The DBA02/B2 was perfectly fine w/ the Vali last night, had a hard time switching off the music and going to bed.  There is some noise but how much that matters depends on your IEMs sensitivity and your hiss tolerance.  The pot performed well w/ little if any channel imbalance down low.  Worked great w/ the HD800 too even though it's signature is not what people assume would be a good pairing.  Most people know nothing about the HD800 anyway.. :)p17
Logged
If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading - Lao Tzu

TMRaven

  • Able Bodied Sailor
  • Pirate
  • ***
  • Brownie Points: +34/-4
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 390
Re: World Exclusive: SCHIIT VALI - The triode hybrid amp that could.
« Reply #24 on: October 09, 2013, 07:30:55 PM »
How does this compare to the Lyr?  I was deciding rather to go with the Asgard2 or Lyr, but this is very tempting.
Logged

Marvey

  • The Man For His Time And Place
  • Master
  • Pirate
  • *****
  • Brownie Points: +555/-33
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 6698
  • Captain Plankton and MOT: Eddie Current
Re: World Exclusive: SCHIIT VALI - The triode hybrid amp that could.
« Reply #25 on: October 09, 2013, 07:37:28 PM »
The Lyr has a warmer tone and more low bass impact than the Vali. The Asgard 2 is not as warm as the Lyr, but it does have more solid bass and better low end extension than the Vali. I think the Lyr is the weakest of the bunch. It is one of their oldest designs, and Jason knows that I have never personally been too fond of the Lyr in absolute terms.

What headphones are you using? The choice really comes down to the Asgard 2 or Vali for me. BTW, the Asgard 2 actually sounds better in some regards to even the Mjolnir. It seems like Schiit is taking "lessons learned" from the prior generation and applying them to new generations of schiit.

But assuming you don't need the warmer tone and low-end impact, the Vali otherwise destroys the Lyr in terms of clarity, microdetail, and microdynamics, resolution, etc.. I kind of hate to say that. [UPDATE: read on concerning the warmth of the Vali...]
« Last Edit: October 10, 2013, 01:34:08 AM by purrin »
Logged

TMRaven

  • Able Bodied Sailor
  • Pirate
  • ***
  • Brownie Points: +34/-4
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 390
Re: World Exclusive: SCHIIT VALI - The triode hybrid amp that could.
« Reply #26 on: October 09, 2013, 07:45:00 PM »
Yeah I was kinda hoping for Schiit to make a Lyr2 in all regards, and this does seem like a better option in certain aspects, but I was also hoping for a very meaty low, low end.  Something which I feel most of the amps I've tried have been lacking-- using O2 and Magni as examples. 

The headphone right now I'm using is the HE-400 with a treble rolloff up top to tame the brittleness, but either the LCDX or LCDXC look like upgrade candidates to me.  I sorta liked the LCD2 but it was a little too mellow and other warm/flat headphones never had the bass extension of the HE-400 or LCD2.  I'd want an amp that can emphasize that extension.
Logged

MuppetFace

  • Miss Anna Logg
  • Mate
  • Pirate
  • ****
  • Brownie Points: +119/-6
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1371
  • First you get a swimming pool full of liquor...
Re: World Exclusive: SCHIIT VALI - The triode hybrid amp that could.
« Reply #27 on: October 09, 2013, 07:45:27 PM »
Better w/ the Paradox: Asgard 2 or Vali?
Logged
My blog on head-fi: http://www.head-fi.org/f/7879/muppetface
I mostly talk about music there. Weird.

shipsupt

  • Mate
  • Pirate
  • ****
  • Brownie Points: +160/-4
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1687
Re: World Exclusive: SCHIIT VALI - The triode hybrid amp that could.
« Reply #28 on: October 09, 2013, 07:59:56 PM »
If you can get a file from Schitt with the detailed board dimensions I can get that fabricated pronto!  Viscoelastic tube dampers not included!  No wooden knobs though.  ;)

If only we could have one in time to make it a special Changstar raffle item at the Bay Area meet!

Quote from: purrin on October 09, 2013, 07:12:05 PM

Don't be surprised if we take it upon ourselves to make a limited edition Changstar Vali chassis from billet aluminum.

Logged
Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man.

Marvey

  • The Man For His Time And Place
  • Master
  • Pirate
  • *****
  • Brownie Points: +555/-33
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 6698
  • Captain Plankton and MOT: Eddie Current
Re: World Exclusive: SCHIIT VALI - The triode hybrid amp that could.
« Reply #29 on: October 09, 2013, 08:05:50 PM »
Quote from: MuppetFace on October 09, 2013, 07:45:27 PM
[size=78%]Better w/ the Paradox: Asgard 2 or Vali?[/size][size=78%][/size]


That's a tough call. The Asgard 2 is the Schiit amp which I feel works with the widest variety of headphones - both tonally and noise wise. It is actually clearer sounding than the Mojo, which I feel has the slighted touch of a low level haze, although no one at HF would ever believe me if I said so. (The Mojo has more balls down low than the Asgard 2 tho.)

The Vali is just more musically involving than the Asgard 2. Nothing beats well done tubes for me. I am actually currently listening to the Vali / Paradox combo with a single PEQ setting: 8khz -3db Q=3 to tame the mid-treble, and only because I've grown much less tolerant of brightness with my speaker listening of late.

I'm also finding myself more willing to use digital EQ these days to correction for headphone irregularities. At least with those headphones which are correctable.

Quote from: TMRaven on October 09, 2013, 07:45:00 PM
Yeah I was kinda hoping for Schiit to make a Lyr2 in all regards, and this does seem like a better option in certain aspects, but I was also hoping for a very meaty low, low end.


Indeed, a Lyr 2 incorporating "lessons learned" would be awesome.
« Last Edit: October 09, 2013, 08:13:29 PM by purrin »
Logged
Pages: 1 2 [3] 4 5 6 7 8 ... 25
« previous next »