I’m a 10 year concrete and brick mason and zeos description of hauling a lot of concrete in a narrow and chaotic path is 100 percent accurate and part of the job much of the time I enjoyed hearing that story and that struggle 😂 just makes you more genuine 👍
Phew I’m new to all this Schiit (sorry couldn’t resist). I got the Sennheiser hd660s’s when they went on sale on Amazon for $325 at the beginning of the month-as my first ‘serious’ audiophile grade headphone and I had a debate with myself about getting them the 600’s or the 6xx and the Hamonicdyne Zeus after Zeos and DMS’s review of the. But ultimately I got them after discovering Zeos here. After doing plenty of research with my dwindling budget I got this the magni 3+, the sys, and the modi 3+. My thought process was that Zeos liked the Magni heresy more for other headphones and I figured I’d mostly be using the Vali2+ for my hd 660s’s. Plus I didn’t want to ruin the all silver aesthetic I had going on. I was pretty worried about the Vali 2+ after Zeos’s last review of the Vali 2 so this review puts me at ease. Everything comes in on Friday and I also have some tubes to roll coming in throughout the month.
I’d love to know what you think about the vali vs magni when you’ve spent some time with them both. I have the vali 2 but have been thinking about adding a solid state to my stack
One of the balanced cables I bought from them had left channel cut out and they replaced it for it me. Excellent customer service. That's a big deal for me. Having a great price to performance product is one half and doing business with people who actually value your patronage is another. Hart is awesome. I have to buy their Pentacon to Pentacon interconnect now that I think of it.
Higher load impedance = higher voltage needed to push load = less current needed for X amount of power. Tube amps are voltage amplifiers, while SS amps are current amplifiers. So tube amps usually have more than enough voltage for any headphone load, and are bottlenecked by current. So the higher the load impedance (which you easily have the voltage swing for), the more power you can utilize since current efficiency is increased. Meanwhile an SS amp is usually limited by its voltage swing more so than its current bias (assuming mains-powered amps). So higher impedance loads needing more voltage to be pushed means you're getting less power output.
Excellent review! Thanks for taking the time on this little amp. I bought it about a month ago and compared it to the Topping L30 (both $149) and preferred the Schiit because it had a wider soundstage. I like tubes so I’m biased - haha. I also felt it sounded fuller with Sundara’s.
Thanks for the insight! I’m debating whether to buy a pair of Senny HD660’s or the Hifiman Sundara’s to match with this. Do the Sundaras really sound good with this, despite their low(er) impedance than the Senny’s? I’m a newbie so appreciate your help and patience!
you should take a course in circuits, you could learn a lot about resistance vs impedance, and about how outputs on amplifiers are thevenized and have an ideal impedance match, larger and lower impedance will have lower power output.
Soon to become electrical engineer here, two things about ohm ratings and tubes. Tubes or vacuum tubes is generally very good at voltage amplification, but unfortuneatly not at current amplification. This means because of ohm's law Voltage = Resistance*current that you need less current to reach a certain voltage with high impedance/resistance headphones, and because tubes no likey current this is good. Second part applies to all amplifiers, and is reason why low resistance is bad and typically more talked about in speakers, is the fact that the resistance of the headphone is in series with the output impedance of the amplifier. To calculate this you use this formular RL/(Rout+RL)*V. This way you can see that a tube amplifier that typically has a high output impedance it has trouble delivering voltage to the headphone. Hope it makes sense. **Did not proof read**
I have a question guys. He said the higher the headphone impedance, the more effects of the tube can be heard. It makes sense yet in his Grados review he said they sound great on a tube even though Grados are 32 ohm headphones.
"Oh that's... Wrong. Keep doing that." - Z Reviews. Coincidentally, this is also a good description of my opinion of Zios' videos. Particularly the camera angle.
Schiit stuff is outstanding. I’ll put my Gungnir/Mjolnir 2 against anything you’ve got in your racks. Refined tube sound, great detail, power to spare - even for the Susvara. I think in your hands it’s Zchiit.
Someone PLEASE help me decide. Vali 2+, Valhalla 2, or Lyr 3? I hear good things about all 3 of them, and they're so vastly different in price...I just want tubes for my 6XX. Does the Lyr 3 sound that much better than the Vali 2+ for headphones, or is the price difference more due to power? Which Schiit do I buy?
From what I understand you should focus on Vali 2+ or Lyr 3. Valhalla 2 is considered more dry and veiled in sound. Where the other two bring life and dynamics to the sound. If you are on a budget I think Vali 2+ is excellent and if you want a bit more resolution and punch the Lyr 3. I'm not sure the Lyr 3 is a big step up from Vali 2+. Though, I believe the Jot 2 is better than both of them.
I have the magnius Show ing up tomorrow, should I get the modius dac, or does having better Dac Do anything? So far going to be running Fidelio 2X, old school HE 400 I, Zeus headphones, Possibly getting G L2000 down the road
It depends what dac you are using now, if you are just using a computer soundcard or the included dac in another piece of gear then yes the modius will be a really nice step up and you will notice improvement. If you already have a decent dac, something like one of the cheaper topping or smsl dacs, there will be much less improvement. The magnius is an excellent and clean sounding amplifier so better dacs will make more of a difference with it.
@@tonydillinger2553 your taking about the mayflower arc with the mic input I'm guessing. That is a really decent dac and amplifier but I still think you will be very pleased with the increase in performance to the magnius. The modius might not be as much of a difference as you'll experience between the amplifiers but it will still be a noticable improvement and it has balanced output to hook up to the magnius.
Have you had a chance to try this out with the HD560s? You mentioned in that review they really need a tube to get the most out of them and like you say the Vali 2+ is a good entry point to tube amps
I'm guessing here but I think the 4 pin power thing is a split 5 and 12v like a old hdd caddy. but in this case it be 12 to maybe 48 for just the tube stuff and then 5v for all the normal amp things.
I bought a pair of those Drop Aeon Open X's. Would you say you recommend the Schitt Vali 2+ for those? I'm not super "into" hifi audio, I'm more of a pro-audio guy as a musician but I just wanted to decent set of cans for casual listening/gaming. If not the Vali 2+ is there another amp you'd recommend in that $200 range?
Good review. I just got this and decided to add a Magni Heresy to compare with my HD6xx. What do you think of "crossfeed" for headphones? I've been using it through ROON and I like it for soundstage.
You can also use tubes to put Edge into headphones. my pair of ZMF Auteur’s sounded great but was a little too warm. so I used to tube to lift that warmth and also to add bass and treble. now it sounds great
I've been waiting a long time for a thorough review of the Vali 2. Before purchasing anything audio related I spent a long time looking at what to start with. I'm pleased I got bored waiting for this review because I'm now watching it through a Schiit Modi Multibit, Vali 2 and Sennheiser HD650. Thanks Z this confirms I made a good decision
You sure did. Though to be fair, there really have been an embarrassment of very reasonably priced, increasing great and playing over their pricepoint, riches. over the past two or three years things have been getting crazy. Crazy good. Though the other edge of the double edged sword is the fact one must put in some serious homework, in order to build a system with the synergy you are looking for. Put in the work to get abreast of the rapidly shifting scene. And you'll be rewarded. Sounds like you indeed did that.
@@rationalmartian I had to stop myself on multiple occasions, the research and staying up to date with the newest developments almost becomes a hobby in itself. I found that it's easy to lose sight of the reason I bought this kit in the first place... to get better enjoyment out of listening to music. I bought a Chord Mojo and Poly as a portable setup, once I've found a suitable set of IEMs (using KZ ZS10Pro at the moment) to pair I'm going to stop for a while and just focus on finding and buying new music again
@@carbon_wavelight whilst I’ve not tried the modi 3 I know over the years I’ve heard a lot of delta sigma dacs. From laptops and phones to DJ mixers, CD players and audio interfaces so I decided to try r2r and while I can’t compare it to schiits other stuff I’m more than happy with the sound of it
@@utub1473 Not really. Op amps can sound very good if done right. The real difference is what kind of sound you prefer. If you want a warmer sound get the Vali, if you want a flatter sound get the Heresy.
Honestly i kinda want to test out a tube amp, they seem cool, but i've never heard one, so i don't know if i want one or not, you know? Kinda torn between buying a tube amp, or buying an equalizer (only the budget stuff from schiit though, as i already have a modi 3+ and a Magni Heresy stack, it's nice and tidy).
@@stuka78 They where shipped yesterday so I suppose I have them next week And the Burson are not shipped yet As soon as I have them I'll compare them Also looking for Muses
Ohm's Law. Power = resistance * current^2. lower ohm rating(resistance) needs more current to run through the headphones to power it. That causes heat and distortion. Loss in the signal.
Bought it 2 weeks ago based on Steve Gutenberg's review for my desktop setup. For headset amp to drive akg k812rpo and pre amp before my integrated amp, I have been quite happy with it. Really good value and smoother and musical sound.
@@paullazarro4295 It's such a great amp. I had the Vali 2 and it powered my HD 6XX so good, I had plenty of volume knob left to not need high gain. Lovely combo with the Modi Multibit. Numbers don't tell how big these little Schiit amps sound. Incredible value at $149. I'm thinking of getting the Vali 2+. I miss that somewhat tubey but clear sound.
@@ANSWERTHECALLOFJESUSCHRIST Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't all current Vali2 amps the Vali2+ configuration? Mine is only a few months old so I'm guessing it's a + version. BTW I'm using mine with a Modi3 and a Loki. Thanks for your post!
I must be going a bit deaf in my old-ish age. The 150ohm NDH20 on my Vali 2 (the original one?) gets cranked to 1-2 o'clock on high gain for a loud volume I like. So yeah, take that for what you will.
This new vali, the 2+, has a half watt more power. The old vali 2 had 1000mw or 1 watt per channel @ 32 ohms and the new vali 2+ has 1500mw or 1.5 watts per channel at 32 ohms. That's a decent little difference in power so it makes perfect sense that you thought it seemed less powerful than what zeos is explaining.
What? Unless you listen to uncompressed audiophile recordings, 1-2:00 on high gain is ear-hurting loud on a Vali 2 regardless of headphone impedance. Maybe you're indeed going deaf, brother. I KNOW I have some degree of hearing damage due to my past work and loud motorcycles, and I could not get my Vali 2 past 1:00 on low gain on the 300 ohm Sennheiser HD 6XX without feeling it was too much. ON LOW GAIN. Right now I'm playing a loudly-recorded album on my DT 880 Edition 600 ohms on a Tascam UH-7000. The volume is at 9:30 and it's right on the limit of comfort for me with everything being balanced and audible. This thing puts out a measly 45mW per channel on a 32 ohm load. Everyone hears differently, but I have no doubt you're damaging your ears, brother. Once you damage the little eardrum hair cells and their stereocilia, they don't regenerate. The damage is permanent. Please try to recalibrate your ears to listen to a lower volume. You're physically obliterating your auditory system.
i cant get over the magni 3+ ,i have it straight into my meridian monoblocks ,lp12 ,kef concerto ,,,life in the sound is special ..modi is next but this vali is grabbing a hopeless curiosity ...
This whole review just sounds like you forgot the original Vali 2 existed and that you reviewed it 4 years ago? Edit: just seen the end, guess I was right
A few years ago you tried Vali 2 and hated it (hardly any difference from a solid state ones). Would you say this is definitely different from Vali 2 ?
Bought the original Vali 2 in a stack (+ Modi & Loki) a couple years back because I was tricked into buying an HD700. My understanding was it'd balance out the sharp mids, which (paired with the Anax mod) it did very well. Their shitty velour pads wore out (duh). Switched to sheepskin Dekons (non-fenstrated), which not only further destroyed the mids, but muffled the lows to boot. Now I'm in a Schitt show that (ironically) only the Loki (bought exclusively because it matched the stack) can "somewhat" fix. Nearly 1500 bucks into *shrug "Meh." I suppose I can mod the Dekons, but it's just getting silly at this point. All that to say... I'm pretty happy with my Vali 2 ;)
1500? Ouch! I grabbed mine from r/AVexchange used (apparently only used for a couple of hours) and in perfect condition for 325 shipped. Anyway, the HD700 is notorious for its sound. I can't enjoy music with them even with EQ. They are, however, really good for gaming. Sorry you loss your ass on that purchase. They are really good headphones for multimedia use and are the pinnacle for comfort! No other headphone I have comes close to it for comfort.
800 (eBay sale when they 1st came out, down from the original $1000 they were), about 450 for the stack and 60 for the pads, to clarify. So 1300, but still. First outing into the audiophile world, so it is what it is.
@@Nashmite ahh. I didn't notice when you purchased. My bad. Yea, we win some and lose some in this crazy audio world. Like you said, it is what it is. There is still a market for the 700 out there so atleast you know it will definitely sell for something and you can apply those funds to something else. I would keep it personally. Its a unique set of cans. Pretty as hell too! Lol
@@spiritualarchitect4276 Running this through my pc, I've accidentally adjusted the volume going to my modi, but I've always assumed that you want that maxed out and use the analog vali going forward. I don't know if it hurts the fidelity or not, but in theory you could set your vali as high as you think you'd ever want/need it and use some kind of remote setup to control your audio player (signal). I think most would just save the extra money and get an amp with a remote. But again, I've barely dipped my toes into this pool compared to some of these other cats out here.
Just converted, my current paycheck is about 150USD. I am a Brazilian 3d Printing technician and technical writer. Mechatronic Engineer Student. Looking for a job!
Collage + Working getting 15 a hour 3.50 hours a day. 5 days a week + bills = LOT..... Great video! Made me feel not as bad for buying the schiit val 2 / modi 3 stack. I haven't bought any headphones so i need to wait 😕 im thinking about the HD 6XX.
Think more of the HD 560s, they are sensational, the audiophile find of the century at their ludicrous price. And just fine and dandy with 320 kbps with reasonably modern recordings with a modest portable dac/amp. Can't do opera which needs more kilo bites, but it's kind to the crappy and old recordings in a way.
My setup for over a year now is Modi + Vali 2 and then Edifier 1700BT connected to Vali 2 preamp output. For headphones at home I use AKG k7xx and recently I also got Hifiman 4xx. But it is mostly the speakers that Vali is working with. Music source is Google / RUclips Music streaming. This set satisfy all my needs, be it music or game sound, flawlessly. And having this faint tube glow in the dark warms my soul. But I don't think I have especially sensitive hearing, so I might be not the most demanding consumer. Not to mention this is my first amp and whole audio system that I own so I cannot really compare it to anything, except that is is defo better than what I had before.
Should really name video Vali 2+ to be clear it's the recent update, not the one from years ago. (That's why it says 3, you can't use + in urls) Also, are you using a full 2V input from a DAC (including any digital preamp decrease on your software)? You mention maxing out the amp on low gain, which would be a very high volume with a full level input signal. Also note, the power figures given by Schiit are for 5% THD, it's noted on the website, so it's not comparable to most that are quoted at 1%.
Products such as schiit Will gradually replace traditional expensive HiFi products such as McIntosh. As HiFi is dying with low affordability and complex setup and younger generation prefer portable, affordable and user friendly products with better sound quality. Companies such as schiit will grow fast and earn more money than old fashioned HiFi brands by mass production and push them to release cheaper products also. This is like pop music replacing opera, McDonald's killed so many old fine dining restaurants.
@@dannybos7024 there is no negatives, as it lowers the threshold of enjoying the high quality music, and more people like it and realise its difference from some Bose headsets , then more people might possibly trace for better product. Kind of win-win. As to many people DAC, amplifiers might be too big and expensive, so they just go with Bluetooth or computer audio. Now with $150, they can hear the difference, which is grear for whole industry.
@@dannybos7024Experience is worth more than hundreds of words. When I tried the first high priced cable, the argument doesn't matter anymore, it does make the difference 😄
Sounds like great value and I keep eying that 600ohm beyerdynamics every time you pull them out. Just sounds like it such a nice relaxing listenign experience together.
If you don't mind a really bright, dry, unnatural sound but value separation and layering, around the head presentation and a fast, tight bass, the DT 880 Edition 600 ohm are a ridiculously good value at under $200. After getting mine, the way pricier, newer headphones I've gotten do not sound significantly better detail-wise. There is a big sound presentation difference, but sound quality-wise, it's not big at all. I can already hear everything with them. I think it really doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things. They already reveal what's to reveal, just that the more expensive headphones are more obvious about it. EDIT: They are very picky about amps. That makes or breaks them. Either the bass will be anemic, or they will sound flat and dead, or the highs will pierce your eardrums. I do love them with the Tascam UH-7000, which on paper should not be able to properly power them at all. Good thing I let curiosity guide me. Still too bright for my liking, but everything else is right, and the bass is big and ear-filling while keeping tightness and composure.
Lower resistances are bad for an amp because it's forcing the amp to draw more power than it is rated for thus putting it at danger for overheating, etc. Higher resistance limits power draw. The amp will run cooler. You insinuated that higher resistance headphones makes the amp work harder to drive them. No! higher resistence limits power draw, therefore limits total output power. You might max out the volume knob thinking you're cranking the amp, but 400mW at 300 ohm is only 400mW compared to 1.5W at 32 ohm. Much more power with less resistance and the amp is working harder with less resistance. You're welcome. PS, I'm not an electrical engineer. ;)
Zeos are you planning on reviewing Singxer SA-1? As far as i can gather it's a fully balanced class A amp, which is directly compared to the Topping A90. On audiosciencereview's forum the few comments are that it is a bit warmer and better sounding, but not as well designed with placement of switches, and worse volume control. Havent been able to find any one else talking about it yet, but it seems like a really interesting amp.
I just want something to reduce the highs of the DT880 600 ohm while maybe boost up a bit the bass, but those spikes near 7/8 kHz and 10kHz are really killing me, even with the emotiva A100...
I feel you. My DT 880 Edition 600 ohm keep getting brighter every time I wear them, ha-ha. Literal eardrum picks even with the Asgard 2 on high gain, which tames the highs without obscuring them.
@transporter255 Worst idea, it will denature the sound while not fixing the issue that well. The best solution I have found is using passive filters like the one DIY Audio Heaven makes and lowering the volume.
The Schiit product web page says the Vali 2+ comes with a new (old stock) tube. I'm happy to hear this review of the Vali 2+ because you didn't seem to like it much in your review of an earlier Vali four years ago.
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
Salesman: How may I help you sir?
Me: I'd like some of that full fuck tube.
Make sure he doesn't think you said LUBE...
my alexa gets this wrong all the time.
@@ZReviews She keeps ordering you tubes?
nice
@@squillen1 shit valley 2+ please
I’m a 10 year concrete and brick mason and zeos description of hauling a lot of concrete in a narrow and chaotic path is 100 percent accurate and part of the job much of the time
I enjoyed hearing that story and that struggle
😂 just makes you more genuine 👍
Phew I’m new to all this Schiit (sorry couldn’t resist). I got the Sennheiser hd660s’s when they went on sale on Amazon for $325 at the beginning of the month-as my first ‘serious’ audiophile grade headphone and I had a debate with myself about getting them the 600’s or the 6xx and the Hamonicdyne Zeus after Zeos and DMS’s review of the. But ultimately I got them after discovering Zeos here. After doing plenty of research with my dwindling budget I got this the magni 3+, the sys, and the modi 3+. My thought process was that Zeos liked the Magni heresy more for other headphones and I figured I’d mostly be using the Vali2+ for my hd 660s’s. Plus I didn’t want to ruin the all silver aesthetic I had going on. I was pretty worried about the Vali 2+ after Zeos’s last review of the Vali 2 so this review puts me at ease. Everything comes in on Friday and I also have some tubes to roll coming in throughout the month.
I’d love to know what you think about the vali vs magni when you’ve spent some time with them both. I have the vali 2 but have been thinking about adding a solid state to my stack
I'd also like to know. 660s/magni 3+ here
Do a follow up for sure, I too am in the market to give my HD600 some more go go
Also hart audio is the best! $ per $ their modular system is just great...
I have always used hart audio
He is now making some iem cables for me can’t wait
One of the balanced cables I bought from them had left channel cut out and they replaced it for it me. Excellent customer service. That's a big deal for me. Having a great price to performance product is one half and doing business with people who actually value your patronage is another. Hart is awesome. I have to buy their Pentacon to Pentacon interconnect now that I think of it.
Just bought the Vali 2+ running with mu Focal Clear's and wow I'm really impressed and for the money it can't be beat.
This is Vali 2+
Yes, But why is the website 3!!
the webmaster has a mind of his own ;)
Higher load impedance = higher voltage needed to push load = less current needed for X amount of power.
Tube amps are voltage amplifiers, while SS amps are current amplifiers. So tube amps usually have more than enough voltage for any headphone load, and are bottlenecked by current. So the higher the load impedance (which you easily have the voltage swing for), the more power you can utilize since current efficiency is increased.
Meanwhile an SS amp is usually limited by its voltage swing more so than its current bias (assuming mains-powered amps). So higher impedance loads needing more voltage to be pushed means you're getting less power output.
Excellent review! Thanks for taking the time on this little amp. I bought it about a month ago and compared it to the Topping L30 (both $149) and preferred the Schiit because it had a wider soundstage. I like tubes so I’m biased - haha. I also felt it sounded fuller with Sundara’s.
So using the Vali2+ means you can no longer use a remote control to change VOLUME?
Thanks for the insight! I’m debating whether to buy a pair of Senny HD660’s or the Hifiman Sundara’s to match with this. Do the Sundaras really sound good with this, despite their low(er) impedance than the Senny’s? I’m a newbie so appreciate your help and patience!
you should take a course in circuits, you could learn a lot about resistance vs impedance, and about how outputs on amplifiers are thevenized and have an ideal impedance match, larger and lower impedance will have lower power output.
I was wondering how the 600 ohm DT880 would sound on this, and then you pull it out.
Soon to become electrical engineer here, two things about ohm ratings and tubes. Tubes or vacuum tubes is generally very good at voltage amplification, but unfortuneatly not at current amplification. This means because of ohm's law Voltage = Resistance*current that you need less current to reach a certain voltage with high impedance/resistance headphones, and because tubes no likey current this is good. Second part applies to all amplifiers, and is reason why low resistance is bad and typically more talked about in speakers, is the fact that the resistance of the headphone is in series with the output impedance of the amplifier. To calculate this you use this formular RL/(Rout+RL)*V. This way you can see that a tube amplifier that typically has a high output impedance it has trouble delivering voltage to the headphone. Hope it makes sense. **Did not proof read**
Ich freue mich!
How tubey is it as a pre-amp... into say.... something like the A90?
This is an interesting question.
I would like to know too
Z, is this the vali 2 or 2+?
The +, you would think they would add that label SOMEWHERE on the unit.
@@ZReviews It's on the tiny ass, font size 6 sticker on the back
I have a question guys. He said the higher the headphone impedance, the more effects of the tube can be heard. It makes sense yet in his Grados review he said they sound great on a tube even though Grados are 32 ohm headphones.
"Oh that's... Wrong. Keep doing that." - Z Reviews.
Coincidentally, this is also a good description of my opinion of Zios' videos. Particularly the camera angle.
where do I buy the Darkvoice tubes you mentioned
Ebay and Tube Depot.
Does this compare well to the LOXJIE P20?
Schiit stuff is outstanding. I’ll put my Gungnir/Mjolnir 2 against anything you’ve got in your racks. Refined tube sound, great detail, power to spare - even for the Susvara. I think in your hands it’s Zchiit.
Outstanding, mmmm rubbing chin.
Someone PLEASE help me decide. Vali 2+, Valhalla 2, or Lyr 3? I hear good things about all 3 of them, and they're so vastly different in price...I just want tubes for my 6XX. Does the Lyr 3 sound that much better than the Vali 2+ for headphones, or is the price difference more due to power? Which Schiit do I buy?
From what I understand you should focus on Vali 2+ or Lyr 3. Valhalla 2 is considered more dry and veiled in sound. Where the other two bring life and dynamics to the sound. If you are on a budget I think Vali 2+ is excellent and if you want a bit more resolution and punch the Lyr 3. I'm not sure the Lyr 3 is a big step up from Vali 2+. Though, I believe the Jot 2 is better than both of them.
None of the above !
@@r423fplip Lol would you care to elaborate with another suggestion
23:11
LH: “Sell this unit...”
RH: “Wrong unit! WRONG UNIT!!”
I have the magnius Show ing up tomorrow, should I get the modius dac, or does having better Dac Do anything? So far going to be running Fidelio 2X, old school HE 400 I, Zeus headphones, Possibly getting G L2000 down the road
Might as well start with the matching DAC. Can try something else later and see for yourself if you can hear the difference
It depends what dac you are using now, if you are just using a computer soundcard or the included dac in another piece of gear then yes the modius will be a really nice step up and you will notice improvement. If you already have a decent dac, something like one of the cheaper topping or smsl dacs, there will be much less improvement. The magnius is an excellent and clean sounding amplifier so better dacs will make more of a difference with it.
@@lumntoob999
The only dac I have right now, is Mayflower amp/dac combo for gaming, with ps4
@@tonydillinger2553 your taking about the mayflower arc with the mic input I'm guessing. That is a really decent dac and amplifier but I still think you will be very pleased with the increase in performance to the magnius. The modius might not be as much of a difference as you'll experience between the amplifiers but it will still be a noticable improvement and it has balanced output to hook up to the magnius.
@@lumntoob999
cool, thanks for the feed back.
after I get the modius, will probably get a tube amp down the road.
Have you had a chance to try this out with the HD560s? You mentioned in that review they really need a tube to get the most out of them and like you say the Vali 2+ is a good entry point to tube amps
Would like to know this as well
Dt 880s + darkvoice how is it?
Avantone planar good? 32ohm 250wa
Would this be good on the akgs 712s?
I’m thinking of getting this but gonna also get the Gold lion 12AX7 to use to replace the stock tube that comes with it
Wait so the 2+ is the latest version but the web page url says 3?
I think the web page counts revisions as well as full blown number upgrades. I noticed this too.
the url for the Vali 2 was 2. The url for the Vali 2+ is 3.
@@LOLCoolJ ah gotcha
@Z Reviews where can i get a purple extension cable like the one you have?
I'm guessing here but I think the 4 pin power thing is a split 5 and 12v like a old hdd caddy. but in this case it be 12 to maybe 48 for just the tube stuff and then 5v for all the normal amp things.
What mods have you done to the Sennheiser 600s in this video please, particularly interested in the cable / ear cups ???
....so is this a good choice for a starter tube amp?
is the vali going to work well with the hd560s ?
I bought a pair of those Drop Aeon Open X's. Would you say you recommend the Schitt Vali 2+ for those? I'm not super "into" hifi audio, I'm more of a pro-audio guy as a musician but I just wanted to decent set of cans for casual listening/gaming. If not the Vali 2+ is there another amp you'd recommend in that $200 range?
"It smooth jazzifies everything"... is an accurate description of what a tube amp does. With every genre of music.
What is your favorite and cheapest all tube amp? Would that be the DarkVoice?
Do you also get that tube goodness through the line out of the Vali or only through the headphone jack?
I would like to know too
Is this thing better then the Cavelli?
Good review. I just got this and decided to add a Magni Heresy to compare with my HD6xx. What do you think of "crossfeed" for headphones? I've been using it through ROON and I like it for soundstage.
So using the Vali2+ means you can no longer use a remote control to change VOLUME for your headphones?
You can also use tubes to put Edge into headphones. my pair of ZMF Auteur’s sounded great but was a little too warm. so I used to tube to lift that warmth and also to add bass and treble. now it sounds great
I've been waiting a long time for a thorough review of the Vali 2. Before purchasing anything audio related I spent a long time looking at what to start with. I'm pleased I got bored waiting for this review because I'm now watching it through a Schiit Modi Multibit, Vali 2 and Sennheiser HD650. Thanks Z this confirms I made a good decision
You sure did. Though to be fair, there really have been an embarrassment of very reasonably priced, increasing great and playing over their pricepoint, riches. over the past two or three years things have been getting crazy. Crazy good.
Though the other edge of the double edged sword is the fact one must put in some serious homework, in order to build a system with the synergy you are looking for.
Put in the work to get abreast of the rapidly shifting scene. And you'll be rewarded.
Sounds like you indeed did that.
@@rationalmartian I had to stop myself on multiple occasions, the research and staying up to date with the newest developments almost becomes a hobby in itself. I found that it's easy to lose sight of the reason I bought this kit in the first place... to get better enjoyment out of listening to music. I bought a Chord Mojo and Poly as a portable setup, once I've found a suitable set of IEMs (using KZ ZS10Pro at the moment) to pair I'm going to stop for a while and just focus on finding and buying new music again
Wow that is the exact setup I've been considering 😅 What pushed you over the edge in deciding to get the multibit over the modi 3?
@@carbon_wavelight whilst I’ve not tried the modi 3 I know over the years I’ve heard a lot of delta sigma dacs. From laptops and phones to DJ mixers, CD players and audio interfaces so I decided to try r2r and while I can’t compare it to schiits other stuff I’m more than happy with the sound of it
So using the Vali2+ means you can no longer use a remote control to change the VOLUME for your headphones?
I am almost positive you taught an audio class I took. If that's actually you, I loved your class dude!
For HD600's, would you say the Vali or the Heresy is the better option?
VALI, the heresy is opamp crap.
@@mariodrv Is the difference really that significant?
@@utub1473 Yes.
@@utub1473 Not really. Op amps can sound very good if done right. The real difference is what kind of sound you prefer. If you want a warmer sound get the Vali, if you want a flatter sound get the Heresy.
schiit vali 2plus vs xduoo mt602? using only for preamp.
Honestly i kinda want to test out a tube amp, they seem cool, but i've never heard one, so i don't know if i want one or not, you know?
Kinda torn between buying a tube amp, or buying an equalizer (only the budget stuff from schiit though, as i already have a modi 3+ and a Magni Heresy stack, it's nice and tidy).
what changed in Vali2 and Vali2+, if am not wrong you bashed vali2 like anything years back, and all i hear is praise for vali2+ now
Great video! Gold Planar GL2000 on this??
This! So curious...
Another thing to add to the list of things I want, don't need and can't afford
did it get content matched?
Love the speaker layout wall behind the reviews, gorgeous
It's seriously gorgeous, every time I look I think: fuck, gorgeous
13:09-13:50 is why I love your reviews
Nice to see the yellow HD600 appear again - FINALLY!
how about a amp tier list based on how well they push dt880?
Its possible.
IDK man, I can't handle Megan Fox's toe-thumbs.
Talking about tubes, just received today little bear B4 from aliexpress... for my Kph30i
I have the Little Bear B4-X
Great little amp
Gonna upgrade it with Sparkos Labs SS3602 OpAmp ... 😉
bought already chip extraction tweezers :-)
@@dark-california how is this Sparkos Lab compared to Burson v5i? I can find a lot of Burson review with Little bear B4 but much less with Sparkos...
@@stuka78 They where shipped yesterday so I suppose I have them next week
And the Burson are not shipped yet
As soon as I have them I'll compare them
Also looking for Muses
Ohm's Law. Power = resistance * current^2. lower ohm rating(resistance) needs more current to run through the headphones to power it. That causes heat and distortion. Loss in the signal.
Bought it 2 weeks ago based on Steve Gutenberg's review for my desktop setup. For headset amp to drive akg k812rpo and pre amp before my integrated amp, I have been quite happy with it. Really good value and smoother and musical sound.
So using the Vali2+ means you can no longer use a remote control to change VOLUME?
my hd560s Sounds competitive can this amp helps me in this case? I want it to be more enjoyable
I have the hd560s and the vali2. I love them together.
@@paullazarro4295 could you please describe the difference?
@@paullazarro4295 It's such a great amp. I had the Vali 2 and it powered my HD 6XX so good, I had plenty of volume knob left to not need high gain. Lovely combo with the Modi Multibit. Numbers don't tell how big these little Schiit amps sound. Incredible value at $149. I'm thinking of getting the Vali 2+. I miss that somewhat tubey but clear sound.
@@mattialemboluscari8774 What difference are you referring to?
@@ANSWERTHECALLOFJESUSCHRIST Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't all current Vali2 amps the Vali2+ configuration? Mine is only a few months old so I'm guessing it's a + version. BTW I'm using mine with a Modi3 and a Loki. Thanks for your post!
The RUssian OTK tubes sound like butter in this amp
I must be going a bit deaf in my old-ish age. The 150ohm NDH20 on my Vali 2 (the original one?) gets cranked to 1-2 o'clock on high gain for a loud volume I like. So yeah, take that for what you will.
This new vali, the 2+, has a half watt more power. The old vali 2 had 1000mw or 1 watt per channel @ 32 ohms and the new vali 2+ has 1500mw or 1.5 watts per channel at 32 ohms. That's a decent little difference in power so it makes perfect sense that you thought it seemed less powerful than what zeos is explaining.
What? Unless you listen to uncompressed audiophile recordings, 1-2:00 on high gain is ear-hurting loud on a Vali 2 regardless of headphone impedance. Maybe you're indeed going deaf, brother. I KNOW I have some degree of hearing damage due to my past work and loud motorcycles, and I could not get my Vali 2 past 1:00 on low gain on the 300 ohm Sennheiser HD 6XX without feeling it was too much. ON LOW GAIN.
Right now I'm playing a loudly-recorded album on my DT 880 Edition 600 ohms on a Tascam UH-7000. The volume is at 9:30 and it's right on the limit of comfort for me with everything being balanced and audible. This thing puts out a measly 45mW per channel on a 32 ohm load. Everyone hears differently, but I have no doubt you're damaging your ears, brother. Once you damage the little eardrum hair cells and their stereocilia, they don't regenerate. The damage is permanent. Please try to recalibrate your ears to listen to a lower volume. You're physically obliterating your auditory system.
i cant get over the magni 3+ ,i have it straight into my meridian monoblocks ,lp12 ,kef concerto ,,,life in the sound is special ..modi is next but this vali is grabbing a hopeless curiosity ...
God been wanting to upgrade my vali2 to the plus for ages, no stock in the UK
16:05 literally my favorite parts of Z's reviews and channel are these.
I love how much this dude curses. Subscribed.
This whole review just sounds like you forgot the original Vali 2 existed and that you reviewed it 4 years ago?
Edit: just seen the end, guess I was right
A few years ago you tried Vali 2 and hated it (hardly any difference from a solid state ones). Would you say this is definitely different from Vali 2 ?
Yeah, same thought, I'm rewatching Z's vids to see what I missed or what's different. The + has more power and a different stock tube???
Can we have a video with Paastah now? Maybe there is a Bluetooth speaker hat or something she could demo? Or Bluetooth shoes?
Bought the original Vali 2 in a stack (+ Modi & Loki) a couple years back because I was tricked into buying an HD700. My understanding was it'd balance out the sharp mids, which (paired with the Anax mod) it did very well. Their shitty velour pads wore out (duh). Switched to sheepskin Dekons (non-fenstrated), which not only further destroyed the mids, but muffled the lows to boot. Now I'm in a Schitt show that (ironically) only the Loki (bought exclusively because it matched the stack) can "somewhat" fix. Nearly 1500 bucks into *shrug "Meh." I suppose I can mod the Dekons, but it's just getting silly at this point. All that to say... I'm pretty happy with my Vali 2 ;)
1500? Ouch! I grabbed mine from r/AVexchange used (apparently only used for a couple of hours) and in perfect condition for 325 shipped. Anyway, the HD700 is notorious for its sound. I can't enjoy music with them even with EQ. They are, however, really good for gaming. Sorry you loss your ass on that purchase. They are really good headphones for multimedia use and are the pinnacle for comfort! No other headphone I have comes close to it for comfort.
800 (eBay sale when they 1st came out, down from the original $1000 they were), about 450 for the stack and 60 for the pads, to clarify. So 1300, but still. First outing into the audiophile world, so it is what it is.
@@Nashmite ahh. I didn't notice when you purchased. My bad. Yea, we win some and lose some in this crazy audio world. Like you said, it is what it is. There is still a market for the 700 out there so atleast you know it will definitely sell for something and you can apply those funds to something else. I would keep it personally. Its a unique set of cans. Pretty as hell too! Lol
So using the Vali2+ means you can no longer use a remote control to change VOLUME for your headphones?
@@spiritualarchitect4276 Running this through my pc, I've accidentally adjusted the volume going to my modi, but I've always assumed that you want that maxed out and use the analog vali going forward. I don't know if it hurts the fidelity or not, but in theory you could set your vali as high as you think you'd ever want/need it and use some kind of remote setup to control your audio player (signal). I think most would just save the extra money and get an amp with a remote. But again, I've barely dipped my toes into this pool compared to some of these other cats out here.
nice, been interested in this one for a long time
Why is this named after me?
Just converted, my current paycheck is about 150USD. I am a Brazilian 3d Printing technician and technical writer. Mechatronic Engineer Student. Looking for a job!
Can you use IEMs with this?
I wouldn't recommend it but you probably can.
6CG7 / 6FQ7 RCA Clear Top
👌
I thought I was having deja vu. I knew that you had reviews this one but them I saw the plus sign
Collage + Working getting 15 a hour 3.50 hours a day. 5 days a week + bills = LOT..... Great video! Made me feel not as bad for buying the schiit val 2 / modi 3 stack. I haven't bought any headphones so i need to wait 😕 im thinking about the HD 6XX.
Think more of the HD 560s, they are sensational, the audiophile find of the century at their ludicrous price. And just fine and dandy with 320 kbps with reasonably modern recordings with a modest portable dac/amp. Can't do opera which needs more kilo bites, but it's kind to the crappy and old recordings in a way.
you should try to use it with the hip dac and the M1570. OMG there is nothing alike
"I'm not a historian of Schiit. I'm not a Schiit-storian" 6:46
That part killed me lol
My setup for over a year now is Modi + Vali 2 and then Edifier 1700BT connected to Vali 2 preamp output. For headphones at home I use AKG k7xx and recently I also got Hifiman 4xx. But it is mostly the speakers that Vali is working with. Music source is Google / RUclips Music streaming. This set satisfy all my needs, be it music or game sound, flawlessly. And having this faint tube glow in the dark warms my soul. But I don't think I have especially sensitive hearing, so I might be not the most demanding consumer. Not to mention this is my first amp and whole audio system that I own so I cannot really compare it to anything, except that is is defo better than what I had before.
Just bought mine
Boarder Closed Until FEB.21/2021 Justin TrueDough of Canada. Jan 12 2021.
The man your shoes get cement on them and they start to stiffen up..... then you trip.... then you have cement on your entire body...
Should really name video Vali 2+ to be clear it's the recent update, not the one from years ago. (That's why it says 3, you can't use + in urls)
Also, are you using a full 2V input from a DAC (including any digital preamp decrease on your software)? You mention maxing out the amp on low gain, which would be a very high volume with a full level input signal. Also note, the power figures given by Schiit are for 5% THD, it's noted on the website, so it's not comparable to most that are quoted at 1%.
4:56 I think you mean they are getting thier SCHIIT together
Products such as schiit Will gradually replace traditional expensive HiFi products such as McIntosh. As HiFi is dying with low affordability and complex setup and younger generation prefer portable, affordable and user friendly products with better sound quality. Companies such as schiit will grow fast and earn more money than old fashioned HiFi brands by mass production and push them to release cheaper products also.
This is like pop music replacing opera, McDonald's killed so many old fine dining restaurants.
@@dannybos7024 there is no negatives, as it lowers the threshold of enjoying the high quality music, and more people like it and realise its difference from some Bose headsets , then more people might possibly trace for better product. Kind of win-win. As to many people DAC, amplifiers might be too big and expensive, so they just go with Bluetooth or computer audio. Now with $150, they can hear the difference, which is grear for whole industry.
@@dannybos7024Experience is worth more than hundreds of words. When I tried the first high priced cable, the argument doesn't matter anymore, it does make the difference 😄
@@JohnJohn-lk4lq What?
Had my eye on Schiit for over a year now... sadly their stuff is always out of stock... FOR OVER A YEAR... fuck em, I'll go Xduoo
Sounds like great value and I keep eying that 600ohm beyerdynamics every time you pull them out. Just sounds like it such a nice relaxing listenign experience together.
If you don't mind a really bright, dry, unnatural sound but value separation and layering, around the head presentation and a fast, tight bass, the DT 880 Edition 600 ohm are a ridiculously good value at under $200. After getting mine, the way pricier, newer headphones I've gotten do not sound significantly better detail-wise. There is a big sound presentation difference, but sound quality-wise, it's not big at all. I can already hear everything with them. I think it really doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things. They already reveal what's to reveal, just that the more expensive headphones are more obvious about it.
EDIT: They are very picky about amps. That makes or breaks them. Either the bass will be anemic, or they will sound flat and dead, or the highs will pierce your eardrums. I do love them with the Tascam UH-7000, which on paper should not be able to properly power them at all. Good thing I let curiosity guide me. Still too bright for my liking, but everything else is right, and the bass is big and ear-filling while keeping tightness and composure.
wasn't expecting the DT880s
Lower resistances are bad for an amp because it's forcing the amp to draw more power than it is rated for thus putting it at danger for overheating, etc. Higher resistance limits power draw. The amp will run cooler. You insinuated that higher resistance headphones makes the amp work harder to drive them. No! higher resistence limits power draw, therefore limits total output power. You might max out the volume knob thinking you're cranking the amp, but 400mW at 300 ohm is only 400mW compared to 1.5W at 32 ohm. Much more power with less resistance and the amp is working harder with less resistance. You're welcome. PS, I'm not an electrical engineer. ;)
Did you stay at a holiday in express last night? Also good answer.
@@ZReviews i wish i did! And thanks
It doesn’t take a degree in engineering. Sheeesh
@@westernartifact580 shhh, it'll be our secret
Laughed so hard at the comment about tube swapping.
Writing before watching. Is this different to the one you reviewed a few years back? That was a Vali 2 as well
looking at the holes on the top, it appears as though the old one was indeed a vali 2, but this one is a vali 2+
👍
@@JohnJohn-lk4lq so angry!! 😂
They both say Vali 2.....I haven’t had the time to watch it yet....calm down.
@@JohnJohn-lk4lq oh and to answer your question, I like to stay hydrated throughout the day so I do sometimes drink before I’m thirsty.
@@JohnJohn-lk4lq WTF? 😂
#17:20
The 880 already bright ..
Needs goodpower plus a warmish amp or a tube amp which is already a warm amp
Anyone else wanting Z to review the Vali 3?
You HAVE to try the dt 880's on the a20
Zeos are you planning on reviewing Singxer SA-1?
As far as i can gather it's a fully balanced class A amp, which is directly compared to the Topping A90. On audiosciencereview's forum the few comments are that it is a bit warmer and better sounding, but not as well designed with placement of switches, and worse volume control.
Havent been able to find any one else talking about it yet, but it seems like a really interesting amp.
I would love to see a review on the new xduoo mt-602, $100 for a class A tube amp with 1.3 watts a channel
I just want something to reduce the highs of the DT880 600 ohm while maybe boost up a bit the bass, but those spikes near 7/8 kHz and 10kHz are really killing me, even with the emotiva A100...
I feel you. My DT 880 Edition 600 ohm keep getting brighter every time I wear them, ha-ha. Literal eardrum picks even with the Asgard 2 on high gain, which tames the highs without obscuring them.
@transporter255 Worst idea, it will denature the sound while not fixing the issue that well. The best solution I have found is using passive filters like the one DIY Audio Heaven makes and lowering the volume.
Dude did you know wheel barrows have electric motors now.
SAY WHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAT!?
The Schiit product web page says the Vali 2+ comes with a new (old stock) tube. I'm happy to hear this review of the Vali 2+ because you didn't seem to like it much in your review of an earlier Vali four years ago.
I would love to have one schiit amps but they are always out of stock or just can’t get them
They stock very well not sure what this person is talking about.
It's too bad Mr. Lahey passed away. He was quite the Schittorian.
He was the liquor
Construction is definitely not for me and I have mad respect for those that do it.