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#21
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My Valhalla 2 has arrived! Tubes installed, plugged in and warming up for a few hours to stabilize after which I will give it a listen. All headphones lined up and ready.
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#22
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Really interested in your impressions later on. Oh goody, I will save that for readng after work today! Something to look forward to. It will take a little bit of time to fully burn in, but you'll get a good sense right off the bat. IIRC, there are no coupling caps in the signal path, so it should not take long to burn in. Just pure Class A triode power. Today I have to start writing Design for Six Sigma statistics training modules on hypothesis testing (1-sample T, 2-sample T and ANOVA....exciting! ) It's all about the p-value...
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Lumin P1 streamer/DAC/preamp, Constellation Inspiration integrated TT: Michell Gyro SE MkII, SME V, Koetsu Urushi Vermilion, EAR324. Harbeth 30.2s, REL R-305, Shunyata Alpha V2 ICs, Alpha V2 SPs, Sigma XC, Sigma NRv2, Omega QR-s & Alpha NRv2 PCs, segmented Altaira SG stack w/ Alpha & Omega CGCs, Everest 8000 PD. Remote Server Room: Uptone EtherREGEN, AfterDark Master Clock & LPS, Alita, Battle Angel, (Akasa NUC Roon Core), iFi DC Purifiers (for SMPS used for Alita & router), Shunyata Gemini combo power distributor & Altaira-type CG GP-NR hub, Venom & Alpha CGCs, Shunyata NRv14 power cords for digital components. Last edited by Puma Cat; 11-01-2017 at 02:35 PM. |
#23
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Just a teaser trailer about the Valhalla 2 from Schiit:
Go ahead. Do things with Valhalla 2 that you’d never attempt with other OTL tube amps. Run low-impedance headphones. Use IEMs. Valhalla 2 is a complete re-imagining of Valhalla, with improved performance, higher output capability, lower distortion and output impedance. Tubes Made Flexible While most tube OTL amps are really only designed for 300 ohm Senns and 600 ohm Beyers, Valhalla 2 stretches to include headphones that you’d never expect to use with a tube amp. Go ahead. Use it with Grados. Run it with AKGs. Rely on it for many IEMs. You may even like it with high-efficiency planars like LCD-X, LCD-XC, Oppo PM-1 and HE-400. A Complete Desktop Preamp Valhalla 2 also adds two important features: preamp outs and a gain switch. Preamp outs let you connect your powered monitors directly to Valhalla 2, to give them some of what some people call “tube magic.” The gain switch gives you better control of both output level and impedance, for better matching to your headphones. It's easy to build a complete desktop system around the Valhalla. Not Your Father’s Tube Amp If you’re expecting syrupy, tubby, euphonically colored tube sound, you’re in for a shock. Valhalla 2 is exceptionally accurate, neutral, and resolving, without being strident or etched. Frequency Response: 20Hz-20Khz, -0.1db, 7Hz-200KHz, -3dB Maximum Power, 50 ohms: 180mW Maximum Power, 300 ohms: 800mW Maximum Power, 600 ohms: 450mW THD: < 0.04%, 20Hz-20KHz, at 1V RMS, high gain (worst case) IMD: < 0.05%, CCIR at 1V RMS, high gain (worst case) SNR: > 97db, unweighted, referenced to 1V RMS, low gain Crosstalk: < -71dB, 20 Hz-20KHz Output Impedance: 14 ohms (hi gain), 3.5 ohms (lo gain) Gain: 7 (16.9db) or 1.5 (3.5 db), via rear switch Topology: All-triode, noninverting, single voltage gain stage, current source biased front end and optimized WCF output stage, DC-coupled input Tube Complement: 6N1P dual triode input, 6N6P dual triode output, 1 each per channel. 6N1Ps rollable to 6DJ8, E88CC, 6922, 6BZ7, and similar types. Power Supply: Two internal power transformers with over 2,000uF of filter capacitance Power Consumption: 40W Size: 9 x 6 x 3.25” Weight: 7 lbs and I love this from the Valhalla 2 FAQ: I was told that tube amps are all about euphonic distortion and that you’re a bunch of crazy money-grubbing arseholes because you make tube amps. Have you ever heard a tube amp? No, seriously. We are serious. Have you ever heard a tube amp? Those guys...I tell ya.
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Lumin P1 streamer/DAC/preamp, Constellation Inspiration integrated TT: Michell Gyro SE MkII, SME V, Koetsu Urushi Vermilion, EAR324. Harbeth 30.2s, REL R-305, Shunyata Alpha V2 ICs, Alpha V2 SPs, Sigma XC, Sigma NRv2, Omega QR-s & Alpha NRv2 PCs, segmented Altaira SG stack w/ Alpha & Omega CGCs, Everest 8000 PD. Remote Server Room: Uptone EtherREGEN, AfterDark Master Clock & LPS, Alita, Battle Angel, (Akasa NUC Roon Core), iFi DC Purifiers (for SMPS used for Alita & router), Shunyata Gemini combo power distributor & Altaira-type CG GP-NR hub, Venom & Alpha CGCs, Shunyata NRv14 power cords for digital components. Last edited by Puma Cat; 11-01-2017 at 02:33 PM. |
#24
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#25
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Oh goody! I can't wait. Love your reviews (and Dan's! ). Please let me know what playlist you used in your initial listening impressions.
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Lumin P1 streamer/DAC/preamp, Constellation Inspiration integrated TT: Michell Gyro SE MkII, SME V, Koetsu Urushi Vermilion, EAR324. Harbeth 30.2s, REL R-305, Shunyata Alpha V2 ICs, Alpha V2 SPs, Sigma XC, Sigma NRv2, Omega QR-s & Alpha NRv2 PCs, segmented Altaira SG stack w/ Alpha & Omega CGCs, Everest 8000 PD. Remote Server Room: Uptone EtherREGEN, AfterDark Master Clock & LPS, Alita, Battle Angel, (Akasa NUC Roon Core), iFi DC Purifiers (for SMPS used for Alita & router), Shunyata Gemini combo power distributor & Altaira-type CG GP-NR hub, Venom & Alpha CGCs, Shunyata NRv14 power cords for digital components. Last edited by Puma Cat; 11-01-2017 at 02:47 PM. |
#26
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The HD6XXs are going to ROCK on Valhalla 2, is my prediction. I'd start searching for a pair of nice NOS 6922s, maybe Amperexes, Telefunken or Ediswans...
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Lumin P1 streamer/DAC/preamp, Constellation Inspiration integrated TT: Michell Gyro SE MkII, SME V, Koetsu Urushi Vermilion, EAR324. Harbeth 30.2s, REL R-305, Shunyata Alpha V2 ICs, Alpha V2 SPs, Sigma XC, Sigma NRv2, Omega QR-s & Alpha NRv2 PCs, segmented Altaira SG stack w/ Alpha & Omega CGCs, Everest 8000 PD. Remote Server Room: Uptone EtherREGEN, AfterDark Master Clock & LPS, Alita, Battle Angel, (Akasa NUC Roon Core), iFi DC Purifiers (for SMPS used for Alita & router), Shunyata Gemini combo power distributor & Altaira-type CG GP-NR hub, Venom & Alpha CGCs, Shunyata NRv14 power cords for digital components. |
#27
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#28
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Some folks can't believe that a $1249 DAC like Gumby can complete fully with $10K DACs, but...we know that it can.
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Lumin P1 streamer/DAC/preamp, Constellation Inspiration integrated TT: Michell Gyro SE MkII, SME V, Koetsu Urushi Vermilion, EAR324. Harbeth 30.2s, REL R-305, Shunyata Alpha V2 ICs, Alpha V2 SPs, Sigma XC, Sigma NRv2, Omega QR-s & Alpha NRv2 PCs, segmented Altaira SG stack w/ Alpha & Omega CGCs, Everest 8000 PD. Remote Server Room: Uptone EtherREGEN, AfterDark Master Clock & LPS, Alita, Battle Angel, (Akasa NUC Roon Core), iFi DC Purifiers (for SMPS used for Alita & router), Shunyata Gemini combo power distributor & Altaira-type CG GP-NR hub, Venom & Alpha CGCs, Shunyata NRv14 power cords for digital components. |
#29
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#30
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I can think of an analogy from digital photography; there are (many) folks that think that "full frame" is the be-all and end-all of digital photography. That really good APS-C cameras can't match them for image quality (which is total BS) and that there is no difference between FF and Medium Format if the pixel count is approximately the same, which is also total BS. Of course they are wrong on both counts, but interestingly, just like the "objectivists" in audio (who ironically enough, never provide any statistically valid data when asked), are only focused on spec sheets and "metrics" and are not willing to consider the "intangibles" when it comes to how a photograph "reads" or how an audio component may sound. The bottom line is that FF can't match MF for image quality on a number of levels, but there is a set of folks you'll never be able to convince of that. And the end of the day it's their loss and our gain...c'est la vie.
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Lumin P1 streamer/DAC/preamp, Constellation Inspiration integrated TT: Michell Gyro SE MkII, SME V, Koetsu Urushi Vermilion, EAR324. Harbeth 30.2s, REL R-305, Shunyata Alpha V2 ICs, Alpha V2 SPs, Sigma XC, Sigma NRv2, Omega QR-s & Alpha NRv2 PCs, segmented Altaira SG stack w/ Alpha & Omega CGCs, Everest 8000 PD. Remote Server Room: Uptone EtherREGEN, AfterDark Master Clock & LPS, Alita, Battle Angel, (Akasa NUC Roon Core), iFi DC Purifiers (for SMPS used for Alita & router), Shunyata Gemini combo power distributor & Altaira-type CG GP-NR hub, Venom & Alpha CGCs, Shunyata NRv14 power cords for digital components. Last edited by Puma Cat; 11-01-2017 at 05:08 PM. |
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