The All Purpose Advice Thread

Please move along the lines that copper sounds weightier and more romantic and hybrid is a bit faster and revealing.

 

Generally I tend to copper.

Concerning Andromedas I feel copper is also the definitive way to go, isn't it?

 

I believe @deafdoorknob prefers the Sony Kimber for Andros out of his ZX300 balanced for the "phat". Not sure if this is equivalent to "oomph / bass / slam".

 

So, how was the Focal Listen? Seems like there's an extra-ugly "pro" version on the way, and it's not super-pricey.

Closed, maybe a useful office phone...

https://www.focal.com/en/pro-audio/monitoring-speakers/professional-headphones/listen-professional
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1385863-REG/focal_fopro_lispro_listen_monitor_headphones.html

 

What is it with Focal and their "Pro = brothel red pads" thing anyway?

 

It depends. If you need to have the sound faster and more neutral, my hybrid or silver are better choices. Copper sweetens the outcome in general, just as iFi audio said.

 

Yup, agreed.

 

Fuctifino, but they do seem to bundle more useful cables in there sometimes though. The ugly red is a bit of a puzzler, though.

 

its more about tone density to me, plus the kimber / sony is really good vfm when you purchase it with the zx300 in hong kong, possibly the cheapest 8 core copper with 4.4 out after 20% discount (< 200$ usd)

 

I just wanted to get some other opinions for those who have heard these two amplifiers. I own the lyr 2 for over a year and then recently was able to audition the Vali2 and in my estimation the Vali 2 is the better amplifier by an appreciable margin. I think that you could take these amplifiers out of their chassis and switch them and they would be more appropriately priced. Thoughts?

 

Headphone cable help, please!
Can anybody recommend a super flexible cable to replace the fabric-coated wire hanger that came with the HEK? I'm looking for a non-braided cable, preferably with a flexy insulation --- i.e., not PVC crapola but something like silicone-rubber or PTFE. Any pointers would be welcome.

Thanks!

 

it's like speaker cable for headphones - I built up one for my HD650s and I'm liking it.

 

The FHD-35 sheath is PVC. Do you really find it very flexible?

 

All my amps are single ended now. The main rig is an Eitr to Bifrost MB to Cavalli Liquid Crimson. I’m really pretty much settled in, but I’d like to at least try the Gungnir Multibit.

I’d like to see if I can improve on detail retrieval and tonality as well as dynamics, or dynamic range. The Bifrost Multibit seems just slightly compressed to me. Grain of salt here as I’m lousy at articulating exactly what I’m hearing, and what I’d like to hear. The Bifrost MB is pretty awesome to my ears, just looking to see if there is better than what I’ve got in the $1k range. An upgraded Bifrost MB would possibly be ideal.

With all SE gear, and no desire to chase balanced hardware again, I really don’t need the balanced capability of the Gungnir Multibit. So my options as I see them:
1) leave well enough alone - “SE the Bifrost Multibit and Gungnir Multibit are inseparably close.” I maybe misremembering, but I think @atomicbob and/or @johnjen may have said this?

EDIT - As noted by @Kattefjaes below, @atomicbob did NOT say the above. Here’s the post I was thinking of. It compliments the Bifrost Multibit, but notes it is not at the level of the
Gungnir.
http://www.superbestaudiofriends.or...t-mb-a-terse-ribald-comparison.308/#post-6660

2) Buy a Gungnir MB and run it single ended.
3) Buy a Gungnir MB and mess around with balanced to single ended transformers.
4) Try a brand xyz dac that’s don’t know about yet?
5) “Good things come to those who wait?” Kinda hoping this might be the right answer. A tuned up Bifrost MB would suit my sensibilities if it becomes similar or better than the Gungnir Multibit.

I welcome thoughts, impressions, recommendations, glimmers of hope for option 5.

 

I have not heard a Vali 2, but I used to own a Lyr 2. I bought it for the horsepower, but eventually I was able to try other amps and then the Lyr 2 by comparison always sounded too thick and indistinct. I currently have a Magni 3 and would keep it even if the Lyr 2 was the same price. So it doesn’t surprise me that you would like the Vali 2 over the Lyr 2. I just don’t think the Lyr 2 sounds all that great.

 

Somehow I doubt that @atomicbob would have said this- the Gungnir Multibit is a noticeably better DAC, it's easy to hear. Better DACs, better power supply. Bifrost Multibit is closer to Modi Multibit rather than Gungnir Multibit.

More resolving, more effortless, dat Moffat bass. The difference between Bifrost Multibit and Gungnir Multibit is is not subtle.

Bifrost Multibit's fine for the money, as long as you feed it from a clean source (low jitter non-mobo SPDIF or Gen5 USB), but that clean source is vital, as it doesn't have VxO reclocking, and the pre-Gen5 USB is pants and will make the DAC sound smeary and pass through quite a lot of VBUS noise.

It'll be interesting to see how long it takes for an analogue upgrade for the Gungnir Multibit to come out. It's an incredibly nice DAC for the price, but with a fancy new output it should probably re-close the gap with the Yggdrasil again. It'll always have a slightly different flavour, mind- slightly more laid-back/less forward than Yggdrasil. However, some extra blackness would be a nice upgrade.

 

Do we know when will the Analog 2 Board come to the Gungnir Multibit? I've been saving money bit by bit for this dac.

 

Someone might, I don't have a clue- just making wild assumptions, as is traditional.

 

Try the Oppo pm-1 cable. It's one of the best stock cables I've ever come across. Solid core and wrapped in a single soft sleeve. Doesn't tangle or crimp. Slightly microphonic though, so be warned.

You can get a 3 meter version direct from Oppo for $100 or an "open box" for $79. Hint, get the open box...mine was still sealed.