Schiit Vali 3

Also note, some of those WE396A tubes are super dark. Not my normal experience with them but a couple came with an amp I bought and they sounded nothing like the others I owned.

Surely different years of manufacturing and I don't remember which was which. Just further buyer beware. You might end up missing that decay, air and space that you're paying so much money to hear.

 

I've got SW51 sitting in the queue (err, desk drawer) for comparison, and plain Piety, too. It might be a week or two before I can rearrange the system to accommodate but will add comparisons when i can!

 

Brief technical measurement preview. Full suite will be performed when I have sufficient time and energy.

Vali3 GE JAN5670W tubes 1 KHz Distortion 0 dBu Hi Gain 300R load

1) AC mains noise is 20 dB below threshold of audibility for common headphone sensitivities. Even listening to S12 IEM on high gain I could not detect any hum, buzz, hiss or other noise.
2) Descending harmonic distortion consistent with the best SET amplifiers.
3) Very low crap factor.
Measurements indicate this amp has a lot in common with my favorite high technical performance amplifiers.

Vali3 GE JAN5670W tubes 1 KHz Distortion 0 dBu Lo Gain 300R load

Low gain reduces harmonic distortion, but I prefer listening with Hi gain mode.

Vali3 GE JAN5670W tubes 1 KHz Distortion 0 dBu Hi Gain 32R load

Low impedance loads increase the harmonic distortion produced by Vali3. However this was my favorite mode when using S12 IEMs.

Vali3 GE JAN5670W tubes 1 KHz Distortion 0 dBu Lo Gain 32R load

Low gain mode mitigates harmonic distortion levels.

Listening to Water's Gift, Canyon Dreams - Tangerine Dream while posting this. Almost too distracting to type coherent thoughts.