Headphone amp < $200

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Dr. Metal MD, Aug 23, 2015.

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  1. Rolltide

    Rolltide Forum Resident

    Location:
    Vallejo, CA
    Yep. Anything that is being played by your amp will come out of the tape outs/line outs. Just be sure to turn off. The issue is if you can turn off the speakers while you use it, as obviously headphones are pointless if you can't.
     
  2. Dr. Metal MD

    Dr. Metal MD Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    USA
    If I am listening to vinyl, will using the tape out bypass the phono stage at all? I wouldn't think so, but I thought I'd ask.

    Also, will I be able to adjust bass, treble, etc. on the preamp and have that change then sent through the Vali?
     
  3. Rolltide

    Rolltide Forum Resident

    Location:
    Vallejo, CA
    I'm not sure on the tone controls, but probably. But in terms of the phono stage, remember that the original idea of tape outs was to record whatever you're listening to. So anything you're listening to from any source will be output through those outputs. Think of them as preamp outs with fixed volume.
     
  4. Dr. Metal MD

    Dr. Metal MD Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    USA
    Okay, so listening to my first record. It is an improvement over my SAE TWO P10. Not a night and day difference, but it is an improvement. The first test record I usually listen to after an upgrade is Megadeth's Rust In Peace since it is so complex and the recording quality is superb in my opinion for thrash metal. Here's what I have noticed WITH the Vali:

    - Bass is tighter, more well defined. Less boomy. Sounds more 'real'. I don't lose the bass when I turn up the volume and I don't get nearly as much distortion or overwhelming highs.
    - The bass isn't as loud as it is with the SAE TWO, but, as stated above, it's more well defined and sounds much better. The difference in how loud the bass is between the two is rather minimal.
    - Mids are crystal clear. It sounds like Marty Friedman and Dave Mustaine's guitars are right in your ear. More well-defined than with the SAE TWO.
    - Vocals are great. Not a huge difference from the SAE TWO, except in the sibilance category. The Vali does a good job taming some of the sibilance, which is quite prevalent in a lot of metal records.
    - If I use the Vali in the tape out function of my NAD 3020, I lose all tone control, which I don't want. So, I'm going to just have to switch the RCAs between my Vali and power amp for when I want to listen with speakers. No big deal. The more expensive Schiit models have ins and outs.
    - Lastly, it has that 'slam' factor that I was missing with the SAE TWO. Even at lower volumes, the music is right up in front and personal. I love it. I don't have to turn the volume way up to get the punch that I'm looking for in my metal. I can't wait to listen to some Rush later to hear how Geddy's bass and Peart's drums sound.

    Overall, pretty happy with my first dedicated headphone amp. It didn't blow my socks off compared to my SAE TWO P10 amplifier, but it is an improvement. We will see what I think with more records. For a little over $100, this thing is great. I like that I can use this to power my headphones now rather than use a giant power amplifier just to power headphones. I'd like to save the power amp for as long as I can, since it makes my Bose towers sound great. The Vali itself is very well-built and sturdy. It doesn't feel cheap at all. It is sleek and looks great.

    This thing is the Schiit!

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Aug 25, 2015
    Ham Sandwich likes this.
  5. Dr. Metal MD

    Dr. Metal MD Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    USA
    The more I listen with the Vali, the more I love it. Moving Pictures has never sounded so good. I am even more happy with this little amp. I think it needed to burn in a bit. Now, it is really performing well with a HUGE soundstage! Love it.
     
  6. RollinHard843

    RollinHard843 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Fort Worth, TX
    Listen to the Vali for a month or 2, THEN try going back to the headphone jack on the amp. The differences/improvements will be even more apparent.

    The tone controls don't work for me either when I use the tape out, but I never missed them. I just got used to the way my headphones and amp work together, and I was fine :)

    What is interesting to me is that even though the tone controls don't work, the mono/stereo knob DOES! Interesting.
     
  7. Dr. Metal MD

    Dr. Metal MD Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    USA
    Haha that is interesting. I will definitely switch back after awhile and see what I think of the difference then. This thing is a steal for a little over $100!
     
  8. Dr. Metal MD

    Dr. Metal MD Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    USA
    Day #2 with the Vali. I didn't know vinyl could sound this good! Since it's had some time to really warm up, it's certainly performing very well. So happy with this purchase. Such a joy to listen to my records with the Vali, my NAD 3020, my HF400i's, and my Technics 1200.
     
  9. RollinHard843

    RollinHard843 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Fort Worth, TX
    Glad you like the Vali! Listening to headphones via any other options around the house is just subpar. When my integrated amp fried during a power outage in the spring, I ordered the Schiit Mani and Vali partly out of desperation (but curious about their sound too). My Turntable plus those 2 or just the cd player straight into the Vali were my only modes of listening to music decently for a good while. A bad situation ultimately became one of those great improvements in my home audio sound.
     
  10. cjc

    cjc Senior Member

    My results cocnclude that some headphones do benefit from a dedicated headphone amp and some don't. In my opinion,if you have own several high end headphones then a headphone amp is probably needed in your setup.
     
  11. Dr. Metal MD

    Dr. Metal MD Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    USA
    Cheers! Bad situations usually yield good results in the long run, I've found. Sorry to hear your amp fried! I have all my stuff plugged into an I cord that I shut off after use. Yeah, the Vali is really bringing out things I've never heard before, especially from the bass. It provides a much better balance to the sound with widened soundstage. Only thing is that the Vali can get pretty hot after playing through a few records. Do you have this issue, too?

    Excellent point. The Vali or any headphone amp would have been wasted on my Audio Technica ATH M50s, since they're so easy to drive. My power amp was more than sufficient to get those up and thumping. With my Hifiman 400i's, I needed something more that the Vali is supplying. Such a great deal for such a small amp that is making vinyl sound better than I thought it ever could.
     
  12. cjc

    cjc Senior Member

    My Schitt Asgard 2 is perfect for driving my Audeze LCD-2's and somewhat overkill driving my AKG 612 Pro's.
    It is so nice that Schitt has such good soundingAND affordable amps for those of us who REALLY need them.
     
  13. Dr. Metal MD

    Dr. Metal MD Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    USA
    The Asgard 2 is a beautiful little amp. Just don't have it in my budget now. When I eventually get LCD-2's or better, I'll move up the Schiit ladder or buy a dedicated tube amp. Yeah, they are truly affordable and well-built. I am extremely impressed with their work. Plus, it's built here in the U.S. Proud owner of my Vali.
     
    cjc likes this.
  14. RollinHard843

    RollinHard843 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Fort Worth, TX
    Yeah, my Vali gets hot too. But this is the nature with tubes, right? Even barely-visible subminiature tubes?

    I like Schiit's FAQ page for the Vali explaining the orange LEDs in there. Haha. They do give the amp a cool look though.
     
  15. Dr. Metal MD

    Dr. Metal MD Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    USA
    I actually didn't know that is the nature of tubes! I think the lights in the amp look sweet. Thanks for the info.
     
  16. rodentdog

    rodentdog Senior Member

    I used to use a RCA splitter jack to take output of CDP to receiver and to headphone amp. Available at Rat Shack
     
  17. Dr. Metal MD

    Dr. Metal MD Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    USA
    Thanks for the suggestion! Do those splitters affect sound quality at all?
     
  18. Ham Sandwich

    Ham Sandwich Senior Member

    Location:
    Sherwood, OR, USA
    The heat comes from the amp operating in the class A side of class AB. The Vali is a class AB amp that is biased to stay in class A enough to let it get nice and warm. Schiit isn't shy about letting their amps get very warm. They're designed to. The case is actually the heat sink. So the case is supposed to get warm. Other amps use big heat sinks with lots of fins to dissipate heat and keep that heat away from the case. Schiit doesn't do that. They make the case the heat sink.
     
  19. Dr. Metal MD

    Dr. Metal MD Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    USA
    Interesting. Thanks for the information! So, I shouldn't really be worried about how the outer casing of the Vali gets so warm?
     
  20. Ham Sandwich

    Ham Sandwich Senior Member

    Location:
    Sherwood, OR, USA
    You don't need to be worried about the heat. Just be aware of it and give the amp space for ventilation and don't stack things on top of it.

    Other Schiit amps like the Lyr and Asgard get much much warmer. The Vali will be a cool customer in comparison.
     
  21. Dr. Metal MD

    Dr. Metal MD Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    USA
    Thanks for the tips. I don't have anything on the amp and it's in a well-ventilated area.

    Really? Interesting. Glad to hear! Cheers!
     
  22. rodentdog

    rodentdog Senior Member

    Did not affect the sound quality...to my old ears anyway!
     
  23. Dr. Metal MD

    Dr. Metal MD Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    USA
    Thanks for the info!
     
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