[Byronb]

   
I never thought there could be something wrong with it. It IS BRIGHT, but it doesnt bother me at all. To the contrary, I like its brightness and it's the attribute I am looking for in another amp or maybe tube rolling with the Valhalla 2. 

The Valhalla will deliver significantly more power to the HD's. So do you warm up the amp before listening? Do the tubes have any hours on them, Tubes actually do "burn in". The Valhalla is not as "bright" of an amp as the Magni for sure. You can get closer by selecting different tubes, but I doubt you will get all the way there. IMHO the Asgard is "NOT" as bright as the Magni. 

 

[alitomr]

  The Valhalla 2 with stock tubes is already considered a bright amp. If you want more brightness, maybe you should consider another headphone? Beyer DT990 comes to mind as a brighter headphone than HD600. 

 
Probably, but I am saying the level of brightness of the HD600 with the magni 2 uber is quite nice to me. We can establish it as the goal, the standard. I dont want another headphones, at this point. I want the improvements I described. 
 
Bjut thanks, Ithought about Beyers. They keep coming out in my threads because of my expressed loved for the Klipsch sound signature (lots of people think I should give them a try becaus they are somehow similar, bright). 

 

[RickB]

   
Probably, but I am saying the level of brightness of the HD600 with the magni 2 uber is quite nice to me. We can establish it as the goal, the standard. I dont want another headphones, at this point. I want the improvements I described. 
 
Bjut thanks, Ithought about Beyers. They keep coming out in my threads because of my expressed loved for the Klipsch sound signature (lots of people think I should give them a try becaus they are somehow similar, bright). 

FWIW, I have owned Asgard 2 in the past and I would consider it brighter than the Valhalla 2. 

 

[alitomr]

Sounds like you are getting caught up in the downward spiral of "upgraditis"! You make it seem that your Val2 and 600's are synergistic enough to bring you enjoyment about 90% of the time. Seems pointless to chase a solution for only 10% of your problem. Trust me, you will never find a combo that gives you absolutely everything you are hoping to hear each and every time. If you manage to find another amp, tubes, etc. that corrects the small issues you notice, what effect will there be on the rest of the music that you are currently enjoying? If there is a sonic difference to the 10% there will also be a difference to the rest and it might not be a good change! Time to sit back and start enjoying the music and stop chasing a fix that will only have you end up trying to fix something else later. Just my opinion.

 
Hey, nice post! But in all honesty, When i came back to the hobby I decided i was going to invest some money to listen to a few amps with the HD600 and 650, just to get my impressions of how things change with different equipment. Before i received the MM" uber stack and then the Valhalla 2 I had plans to get the Asgard 2 and even the Lyr 2, just to see how much of an improvement I can hear and see what I like best considering the investments. The Valhalla 2 has made me think about stopping right here and be happy, but I think that even as a learning process and probably to prevent future upgraditis so well known by us audio enthusiasts, I think I should go ahead and try the equipment the budget allows. I am justifying the expenses as a kind of academic, scientific research to really know if we are all crazy or there is really improvements to be had for more money, and to what extent. 
 
The songs I point and root of curiosity probably lies in that even those songs and the overall experience should be better if the amp was a little brighter, or if the magni 2 uber had better clarity, soundstage, instrument separation and detail and better, tighter bass. 
 
Did I explain myself clearly?

  FWIW, I have owned Asgard 2 in the past and I would consider it brighter than the Valhalla 2. 

 
See, if the Asgard 2 is brighter than the Valhalla 2 and has the same clarity and instrument separation, it is probably all I am looking for. 

 

[520RanchBro]

 
See, if the Asgard 2 is brighter than the Valhalla 2 and has the same clarity and instrument separation, it is probably all I am looking for. 

Just a word of caution, I've seen plenty of impressions here from folks who can hardly hear the difference between the M2 and the A2, might be worth looking in to as I don't think you'll get a drastically different sound from the switch.

 

[LTSFBH]

Hey, nice post! But in all honesty, When i came back to the hobby I decided i was going to invest some money to listen to a few amps with the HD600 and 650, just to get my impressions of how things change with different equipment. Before i received the MM" uber stack and then the Valhalla 2 I had plans to get the Asgard 2 and even the Lyr 2, just to see how much of an improvement I can hear and see what I like best considering the investments. The Valhalla 2 has made me think about stopping right here and be happy, but I think that even as a learning process and probably to prevent future upgraditis so well known by us audio enthusiasts, I think I should go ahead and try the equipment the budget allows. I am justifying the expenses as a kind of academic, scientific research to really know if we are all crazy or there is really improvements to be had for more money, and to what extent. 

The songs I point and root of curiosity probably lies in that even those songs and the overall experience should be better if the amp was a little brighter, or if the magni 2 uber had better clarity, soundstage, instrument separation and detail and better, tighter bass. 

Did I explain myself clearly?

See, if the Asgard 2 is brighter than the Valhalla 2 and has the same clarity and instrument separation, it is probably all I am looking for. 

Hey I hear you loud and clear! I'm speaking from experience. I've been through a ridiculous amount of combos. I've settled on my Valhalla, Lyr and Lyr 2. I'm hoping to add a Val 2, because I know I will like it. Using a Mani 2 Uber and Audio Alchemy DACs.

 

[FLTWS]

   
Hey, nice post! But in all honesty, When i came back to the hobby I decided i was going to invest some money to listen to a few amps with the HD600 and 650, just to get my impressions of how things change with different equipment. Before i received the MM" uber stack and then the Valhalla 2 I had plans to get the Asgard 2 and even the Lyr 2, just to see how much of an improvement I can hear and see what I like best considering the investments. The Valhalla 2 has made me think about stopping right here and be happy, but I think that even as a learning process and probably to prevent future upgraditis so well known by us audio enthusiasts, I think I should go ahead and try the equipment the budget allows. I am justifying the expenses as a kind of academic, scientific research to really know if we are all crazy or there is really improvements to be had for more money, and to what extent. 
 
The songs I point and root of curiosity probably lies in that even those songs and the overall experience should be better if the amp was a little brighter, or if the magni 2 uber had better clarity, soundstage, instrument separation and detail and better, tighter bass. 
 
Did I explain myself clearly?
 
See, if the Asgard 2 is brighter than the Valhalla 2 and has the same clarity and instrument separation, it is probably all I am looking for. 

 
 
Of course we're all crazy. But I think the process we go through is a big part of the fun (and sometimes frustration) of being an audiophile. The payoff at the end of each upgrade project should be improvements to our listening enjoyment. The two thoughts I try to keep in mind during evaluations are "is it better" or "is it just different". A dose of patience helps and I always keep my budget in mind. Have at it. Have fun.

 

[LTSFBH]

Hit reply too quickly. Meant to add that I exclusively use Grados SR325e and PS500e headphones. These combos work for me almost all the time. When there is something that I don't quite like it almost always comes down to the recording itself.

 

[alitomr]

  Just a word of caution, I've seen plenty of impressions here from folks who can hardly hear the difference between the M2 and the A2, might be worth looking in to as I don't think you'll get a drastically different sound from the switch.

I've read many posts saying this. Based on my limited experience I now know that a lot of the "no difference" can be attributed to the recordings people use. There are a lot of songs in my collection that sound almost exactly the same in the magni 2 uber and the Valhalla 2. Lots where you have to really struggle to catch that little more detail in the cymbals of that particular note of the bass that you now hear with the better amp, if you know what I mean. 
 
Of course, I am not saying it is THE ONLY source of the situation, as listening can be quite subjective and hence complex, but this has been my experience.
 

   
 
Of course we're all crazy. But I think the process we go through is a big part of the fun (and sometimes frustration) of being an audiophile. The payoff at the end of each upgrade project should be improvements to our listening enjoyment. The two thoughts I try to keep in mind during evaluations are "is it better" or "is it just different". A dose of patience helps and I always keep my budget in mind. Have at it. Have fun.

Thanks!
 
 

Hit reply too quickly. Meant to add that I exclusively use Grados SR325e and PS500e headphones. These combos work for me almost all the time. When there is something that I don't quite like it almost always comes down to the recording itself.

Yeah, I think there is a lot of that!!  Read my first response in this message/post. 

 

[LTSFBH]

First a quick correction from one of my posts. I meant a Modi 2 Uber, not Mani.

Here's my litmus test... I have a particular song, on a particular live CD, that sonically ticks all the right boxes for me. When I change any part of the audio chain, I listen to that. If it sounds good and I don't want to stop listening, then I know the combo will be a good one.

 

[alitomr]

First a quick correction from one of my posts. I meant a Modi 2 Uber, not Mani.

Here's my litmus test... I have a particular song, on a particular live CD, that sonically ticks all the right boxes for me. When I change any part of the audio chain, I listen to that. If it sounds good and I don't want to stop listening, then I know the combo will be a good one.

This is a good one. I can tell you that I absolutely love my current combo of modi2u-Valhalla2-HD600. My next test is going to be the DAC. I am having a hard time noticing a difference with the DAC in my yamaha receiver vs. the modi2u. 
 
At this point i am pretty clear on the differences and improvements in going from the magni2u to the valhalla 2, and the Valhalla is a keeper for sure. That doesnt mean I cant have a second amp with a different sound signature that I also like for certain songs, maybe gaming and movies or whatever. 
 
Somebody ask if the V2 has been burned in. I've had it for about 10 days and it has been on for the most part. It has been on for 4 days straight at this moment. I cant say i notice a big difference in sound from immediately turned on or on for 3 days, but I haven't tried to test that. It sounds great all the time is all I can say. 
 
I like your test, and I have several discs and songs that I love and am very familiar with. I guess this test could be good...
 
Anyone recommending tubes to make the Valhalla 2 a little more forward sounding than the stocks?

 

[mysticstryk]

This is a good one. I can tell you that I absolutely love my current combo of modi2u-Valhalla2-HD600. My next test is going to be the DAC. I am having a hard time noticing a difference with the DAC in my yamaha receiver vs. the modi2u. 

At this point i am pretty clear on the differences and improvements in going from the magni2u to the valhalla 2, and the Valhalla is a keeper for sure. That doesnt mean I cant have a second amp with a different sound signature that I also like for certain songs, maybe gaming and movies or whatever. 

Somebody ask if the V2 has been burned in. I've had it for about 10 days and it has been on for the most part. It has been on for 4 days straight at this moment. I cant say i notice a big difference in sound from immediately turned on or on for 3 days, but I haven't tried to test that. It sounds great all the time is all I can say. 

I like your test, and I have several discs and songs that I love and am very familiar with. I guess this test could be good...

Anyone recommending tubes to make the Valhalla 2 a little more forward sounding than the stocks?

I found that going from the original Modi 2 Uber to the Bifrost 4490 I have now yielded a bigger difference than my upgrade from the Vali 2 to Valhalla 2.

Visit the Valhalla tube rolling thread HERE for some good ideas and help finding a good set of tubes.

 

[elephante211]

First a quick correction from one of my posts. I meant a Modi 2 Uber, not Mani.

Here's my litmus test... I have a particular song, on a particular live CD, that sonically ticks all the right boxes for me. When I change any part of the audio chain, I listen to that. If it sounds good and I don't want to stop listening, then I know the combo will be a good one.

This is a good one. I can tell you that I absolutely love my current combo of modi2u-Valhalla2-HD600. My next test is going to be the DAC. I am having a hard time noticing a difference with the DAC in my yamaha receiver vs. the modi2u. 
 
At this point i am pretty clear on the differences and improvements in going from the magni2u to the valhalla 2, and the Valhalla is a keeper for sure. That doesnt mean I cant have a second amp with a different sound signature that I also like for certain songs, maybe gaming and movies or whatever. 
 
Somebody ask if the V2 has been burned in. I've had it for about 10 days and it has been on for the most part. It has been on for 4 days straight at this moment. I cant say i notice a big difference in sound from immediately turned on or on for 3 days, but I haven't tried to test that. It sounds great all the time is all I can say. 
 
I like your test, and I have several discs and songs that I love and am very familiar with. I guess this test could be good...
 
Anyone recommending tubes to make the Valhalla 2 a little more forward sounding than the stocks?

Do your tubes a service and turn off your amp man! There is no reason to leave it on for more than around 12 hours. Burn it takes time. Be patient. Don't rush it.

 

[mysticstryk]

Yep, your only draining the life of your tunes, they don't last forever. The Valhalla warms up pretty fast after turning it on.

 

[alitomr]

What is the life expectancy of the stock tubes in the Valhalla?