Magni 3+ and Magni 3 Heresy released

this seems like the same thing and available from Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/Topping-14x14x4-5cm-A30-D30-Transparency/dp/B01NCZQ0ZZ/

 

Yes, The Schiit UK and EU sites. They're out of stock but they're awaiting a new delivery from China.
They name it the Schiit Shelf but it's not made by Schiit.
Can't open the Amazon US website atm, tried in 3 browsers. What was the price there?
On Amazon Uk they ask 95 GBP. Schiit UK asks 35 GBP.

You could even make a 5 shelf one if you got a big stack. Might be necessary if those splitters don't work out and I add a sys and Loki.

EDIT: the Amazon UK isn't the same one, other dimensions, it's deeper.

 

I'm not planning on doing much tube rolling, from the Vali 2 thread two tubes got my attention: the Brimar ECC88 and Valvo E288CC.
I'm certainly not going to pay 100 for them, that price is not in relation to the price of the amp. I planned on paying 20 for each tube but it seems like trying to find them for 40 is already going to be a task.
I'll do some hunting though when I have the time, for now I'll start with the stock tube, I'm sure it'll make sound as well.

 

The Schiit & Topping shelves also differ in that the former are clear whereas the latter are etched.

 

As I've gotten older I've stopped kidding myself that my hearing isn't as good as it was in my twenties... that and listening so intently quite literally feels like work, the opposite reason of why I listen to music in the first place.

Sometimes I miss the days of being audiophoolistically ignorant.

 

So, received part of the Schiit stack today.
- the Magni 3+ wasn't powerful enough at low gain. Of course that could also be due to the output voltage of the tuner and laptop I quickly tried it with.
- couldn't try high gain, the switch was defective.
- Modi was the wrong color.

===> Return.

Seriously thinking about getting a Lyr instead of swapping and then hope I don't get another broken one.

 

I'm replying this to myself. So I recently obtained a M3+ and it is slightly better than the regular M3. Yeah stage is small, but sounds on the funner side. In other words, good enough for a computer desk listening to random junk and not too focusing on the quality.

So for IEMs the answer is no on CA stuff. Just like the regular M3, the Andros and at the time the Solaris are just too sensitive for the M3+. So you'll have to get the iFi Match if you want to use them.

Now, the JVC Drop HA-FDX1 works great on the M3+ with no iFi Match stuff.

 

As an aside I check ASR every few days just to see what T. M. Noble from Schiit is having to deal with working behind enemy lines, so to speak. He has to have a teflon temperament. Nothing seems to bother him and he is the most diplomatic and well reasoned representative for Schiit at that forum I could imagine.

 

I talked myself into buying a Heresy after saying I wouldn't, reasoning being that I finally settled on a nice V-shaped pair of headphones I like(Audeze LCD2C-Closed) and wanted to retry the neutral/clinical approach to amps. I'm using a SMSL M300 MKii DAC. My tastes are contradictory in that I tend to chase ultimate speed & crispness, am fatigued by strong midrange, and listen to hot garbage recordings which beg for forgiveness. I tend to ping-pong between electronics as I grow fatigued by harsh sound or annoyed with slow transients. The later issue is what left me unsatisfied with my Lyr 2 along with my inability to wrap my head around tube staging.

Only having the Heresy here since Saturday my thoughts will be incomplete. It's everything I wanted but I'm not sure how I feel about it now that its here. I'm not getting the glare/mid-fatigue I had from the Atom(Likely was the fault of my other headphones, will test later.) Describing the Heresy in one word: Explicit! Bass drums hit harder than the Lyr 2 but its not as overall bassy. Treble calls more attention to itself but has less sparkle. Its more resonant/punchy with atonal cello solos, has that same propulsive crisp sound you get in a movie theater with cinematic dark ambient, it keeps up with my fastest black metal recordings. Yet I'm doubting already; the only way I can explain why is a thought I had with it last night "Am I willing to take enough caffeine to keep up with this thing?" And that's it, it doesn't match my mood, it's an explicit & wide awake sound. I like it but I'm not sure I'll be able to adapt to it, I'm going to give it time.

 

I pulled the Edition XX out of its box today to see if I could enjoy it with the Heresy. Strange as it may be the EdXX on the Heresy immediately reminded me of the LCD2C-Closed on the Lyr2, it's a warm, rounded, and sparkly headphone which never sounds clean, fast, or slammin'. The HFM still glares but it's not as bad as I remember from the Atom. I followed this up with a trial run of the EdXX & Lyr2 just to make sure the new DAC wasn't the deciding factor.. that combo is just as obnoxious as I remember. It's a doubling down on traits I don't like and I fatigue fast. The Hifiman also masks the technical differences of the amps with its rounded sound, it's not especially quick and far from dynamic. I also don't hear the pristine blackground that I do with the Audeze which could just as easily be the open v closed difference(loud computer fans) vs the grain I've seen others report on.

To conclude this test, it doesn't sound like I'm using the same amp switching between the headphones whereas the Lyr2 does maintain some of its distinctiveness. There is none of the explicit or sterile sound I focused on with my Audeze impressions using the Hifiman, it sounds stereotypical warm tube ignoring the lack of soundstage depth. This leads me to believe the Heresy isn't notably modifying the sound in any way.

 

I've decided to return it and move up to the Asgard 3 in search of a SS but less propulsive sound. The Heresy combined with my V-shaped headphones I'd highly recommend for watching movies or playing action games as it captures that impressive theatre sound but its overwhelming in larger doses. I didn't find it fatiguing, I couldn't detect any bothersome grain or glare, it just isn't all that pleasant listening to for hours on end. My conclusion on the Heresy is that it's a great value but highly situational.

 

Hi. I have had my Schiit Magni 3+ for a few weeks now here are some listening impressions relative to my Massdrop Cavalli Tube Hybrid (MCTH).

The audio chain used is:

Spoiler

Linux laptop -> USB -> Schiit Gungnir A1 (Gen 5 USB) -> [AMPLIFIER] -> HD 650 (stock).

The Sennheiser HD 650 is unmodded, initial comparisons were made without equalization. I have been experimenting with equalization and will make some comments about that at the end. Both amplifiers were stock, the MCTH was used with its stock PSU and stock EH 6922 tube. The majority of the music used for the comparison was in FLAC format ripped from CD.

A variety of music was used including 80s pop (Roxette, Taylor Dayne, Dirty Dancing), synthesized (Turrican Anthology), orchestral (Turrican - Orchestral Selections and Turrican II - The Orchestral Album), acoustic guitar (Nick Molyneux - Beautiful Suchness of Things), plus others.

I am not confident with using audiophile or SBAF terminology but will do my best to describe the general differences that I hear.

The most immediate difference between the two amps is that the Magni 3+ sounds relatively thicker and no particular frequency seems to stand out (it sounds balanced to me). The music has more weight, body, and texture compared to the MCTH. The MCTH sounds thinner, has more air than the Magni 3+, and has some treble sparkle. Some (higher) frequencies on the MCTH seem to sound more prominent. I am very sensitive to treble, which could explain my perception.

If I have listened to the Magni 3+ for awhile and then switch to the MCTH, I immediately notice the difference. The MCTH seems to sound clearer and more detailed and initially I prefer it - I think this is due to the greater air and treble of the MCTH. However, after a short while, I feel like something is missing. The music is less fun and less involving and I want to go back to listening to the Magni 3+. The MCTH seems to have less presence in the mid frequencies, whereas the Magni 3+ has a more natural presentation.

The Magni 3+ seems more forward and involving compared to the MCTH and reminds me of the Vali 2 in its delivery. The MCTH, on the other hand, seems more distant - I feel like I am more detached from the music. The Magni 3+ is the more intimate amplifier. For me, the Magni 3+ is easier to listen to and is less fatiguing than the MCTH.

I recall @purr1n mentioning in his blog that the MCTH requires careful matching with DAC and headphones. The Gungnir A1 and HD 650 have tendencies towards warmth and body which should make them a good match for the airiness and thinness of the MCTH - but despite this I still prefer the sound of the Magni 3+.

In Linux, I have been experimenting with a parametric equalizer (https://github.com/bmc0/dsp/wiki/System-Wide-DSP-Guide) and the various equalization settings for the HD 650 that are available from https://github.com/jaakkopasanen/AutoEq. Equalization appears to alleviate the mid bass hump of the HD 650, and makes them a bit more airy. In my perception, this further favours the Magni 3+ since the MCTH is already relatively airy and thin sounding.

The Magni 3+ is definitely a keeper.

 

Nice comparison, thanks! Did you try other tubes on the CTH? I recall you had treble issues with a Philips A-frame, but wondering if you played with any others alongside the Magni.

Edit: A linear power supply for the CTH does make a difference to the weight, most noticeably in the bass. Of course, as with alternate tubes, it adds to the cost...

 

I tried an Amperex Orange Globe ECC88 (dimple disc getter) as well, but couldn't hear much (any?) difference compared to the Philips A-frame - I guess it is quite a similar tube.

Plus there is the fact that the MCTH is really designed with the EH 6922 in mind. The amp doesn't seem to change much with different tubes. Can't remember what other tubes I may have tried (would have all been PCC88 / ECC88 or E88CC variants).

 

Sorry to continue the derail, but the MCTH you're describing is the prototype you, brencho and Bill-P heard early on, right? Whereas the production heard by Hands and later by brencho and Bill-P (here and here) was described as warmer & darker and maybe more responsive to tubes.

(Not trying to nitpick, but to triangulate my own impressions vs Vali 2 and Magni 2U).

 

Challenge accepted

 

I have a quick question for one of the members with an engineering background: How similar are the Magni 3+ and Asgard 3 circuits?

I am having a friendly debate with one of the ASR disciples who just point blank stated that: "Asgard 3 and Magni 3 are the same circuit, just a bigger box and 1dB more headroom."

Short context, one of the newbies at those forums was asking whether to go for the Heresy, the Magni 3+ or the Asgard 3 to complement his HD800S. Since I was in the same boat and went through all these amps and liked the Asgard 3 because it had the smoothest treble, I recommended it. The response from the ASR militia was of course that they all sound the same and the Asgard 3 and Magni 3+ is the same circuit, even though I was not comparing those two amps.