Magni 3+ and Magni 3 Heresy released

Discussion in 'Headphone Amplifiers and Combo (DAC/Amp) Units' started by redrich2000, Nov 29, 2019.

  1. ultrabike

    ultrabike Measurbator - Admin

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    No cheating with 0 dBFS at 300 Volts or so.
     
  2. pLuhhmm

    pLuhhmm New

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    Just placed my order to replace my FiiO E09k. Was pretty hard not grabbing the Heresy and getting over so many people saying how good it is. But then I read there here and remembered these same people have been telling people for what seems like a decade to get M50s for any scenario. That and people here seem much more reasonable and informed, rather than parroting vague non specific opinions.
     
  3. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Wrong choice. You should have grabbed the Magni 3+
     
  4. AndreaR_94

    AndreaR_94 Acquaintance

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    From what I understand, he didn't grab the Heresy
     
  5. pLuhhmm

    pLuhhmm New

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    Yeah, I got the M+ lol

    edit: at least funny to me and i forget the term, but this was a good example of getting a good answer without asking for it. but thank you for verifying my choice.
     
  6. Elnrik

    Elnrik Super Friendly

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    When I first read the post, my brain saw "Just placed my order for a FiiO E09k."

    I thought "Who cares. You fucked up. Not a fiio thread."

    Enjoy your Schiit.

    :)
     
  7. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Haha. Excellent then. I was multitasking massively while skimming.

    That happens here. Usually it goes like this: "it's obvious that you have made your choice, so why bother asking for confirmation that you made a good choice". Very funny when that happens, but it hasn't happened in a while. I think most people have gotten it.
     
  8. pLuhhmm

    pLuhhmm New

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    The M+ arrived this weekend. Great purchase. Instantly noticed a difference over the E09k. General clarity was improved and some how bass was stronger. Thought the smaller volume knob would be a problem, but it doesn't really bother me. Haven't done too much listening or any direct comparison however. The improvement was just instantly obvious after switching over.
     
  9. dsssk

    dsssk New

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    Magni 3 b-stocks are available, I read a couple comparisons with the 3+, are there any serious/compelling reasons I shouldn't go with the 3?
     
  10. kkl10

    kkl10 New

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    Where are these b-stocks available? Magni 3+ seems to be out of stock in most of EU. Not sure when to expect new units.
     
  11. JustAnotherRando

    JustAnotherRando My other bike is a Ferrari

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    Schiit site. Left hand column, scroll all the way down to "B-STOCK & CLOSEOUT."
     
  12. dsssk

    dsssk New

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    That's the ticket. I went 3+ and a bstock modi3. Seems like it's a definite upgrade overall and 3 seems to have some weird issues here and there. I had an og stack with he-400 in 2013 so I wont really be able to recall the sound but I look forward to it.
     
  13. AppleheadMay

    AppleheadMay Friend

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    A (few) simple question(s):
    Are the Magni 3+ and Magni Heresey powerful enough and good enough to drive a HD800SS well?
    Would it be better to spend a little more for the Jotunheim (DAC built-in)?
    Or would that actually be a worse decision, is the Jot a mismatch?

    And a bunch of explanation:
    - I have a HD800S and a decent amp to drive it but I'm looking for a second, more affordable amp to drive the HD800S as well as a few other low Z cans.
    - The purpose of that second amp is for gaming mostly, a bit of movies and a bit of music and experimenting with equalizing and VSS software.
    - The HD800S for gaming, are you nuts? Yes and yes. I have the HD800S anyway and with its expansive soundstage it should be top notch for gaming.
    - What games? Adventure with immersive sound and soundtrack mostly. Some horror adventures as well.
    - Does the SQ actually matter for games? To me, yes and it's not only SQ but also soundstage. And as I said, I want to enjoy some music as well, EQ'd/virtualized or not. It's not because I have a more expensive amp on hand that I wouldn't enjoy one of these beauties.

    Why am I doubting?
    I read reviews on the HD800(S) with Magni all over the web, here as well. Some things I found were:
    - Magni is more than powerful enough for the HD800, at 9-10 O'clock it already gets too loud.
    - Magni is underpowerd for the HD800, at 100% volume the Magni uses only about 80% of what the HD800 can take. (I know, biggest BS I ever read as well, a video review where the guy actually said 80% of the HD800's headroom ...)
    - Jot is a bad match for the HD800, way to sharp.

    So what amp will put a smile on my face? The Magni or the Jot?
     
  14. Baten

    Baten Friend

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    Magni 3 in both iterations should be powerful enough. For gaming IMO, considering this is a secondary amp anyway, I suggest the THX AAA, either the 778 or the 887 variant. On budget I'd pick the Magni Heresy..
    Just because the 3+ will sound most dynamic and involving, bit similar to Asgard 3. The heresy and THX will be smoother and better for long sessions that have little to do with listening to music. Just my opinion.
     
  15. allegro

    allegro Friend

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    No interest in the Vali 2? It stages better than the Magnis on my HD800S.
     
  16. AppleheadMay

    AppleheadMay Friend

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    I searched and read a bit more about the Schiit stacks here on SBAF.

    @Baten
    Sure about the Heresy over the 3+? Wouldn't it be flatter, more analytic and have less soundstage than the 3+? Soundstage would be rather important for me.

    @allegro
    Yes, I read about the Vali 2 and think I will add it to the stack, along with the Modi and Magni.
    I only wonder how it can be powerful enough for the HD800S with less than half the power of the Magni on tap.
    It would be nice to have two amps to choose from and the prices are more than affordable.
     
  17. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Heresy sounds like a worse version of Magni 3+. Very similar transients, tonal response, that is I could not tell in a triple-blind volume controlled test. Where it was very obviously worse was soundstage. Also obviously worse in x1 gain: super flat and boring and unresponsive. Like a Toyota Camry.

    From a measurement point of view, there should theoretically be no difference. -105db and -115 SINAD = no difference.

    The Heresy is Schiit's take on the JDS Atom, but with a metal chassis instead of Tupperware plastic with weights inside.

    As such, I highly do not recommend Heresy. Or Atom.
     
    Last edited: Feb 9, 2020
  18. allegro

    allegro Friend

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    I am listening to the Vali 2 right now with my HD800S. High gain mode, somewhat loud listening, slightly uncomfortable with the volume control at 12:00. Still have headroom for more volume. I used the Vali 2 until my Kenzie was built now I use it with my CIEMs.

    I think the Vali 2 does a fine job with the HD800S. No it is not in the same league as my Kenzie but hard to beat for the price. I did replace the stock tube it shipped with, now using a 1960's Brimar Ediswan ECC88 I picked up for $40 from Tubemonger.
     
    Last edited: Feb 9, 2020
  19. AppleheadMay

    AppleheadMay Friend

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    Thanks guys!

    I’ll get me the Modi 3, Magni 3+ and Vali 2, will be a nice stack of Schiit.
    Thanks for the tube tip as well. Will still have to look into that but if this one makes tour HD800S sing I think I’ll just get me that one and be done with it. Not planning to go on a quest for the holy grail of tubes. ;)
     
  20. Hands

    Hands Overzealous Auto Flusher - Measurbator

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    Curiously, the Heresy to me sounds much more like the original Magni 3. Kind of warm, punchy, but a slightly rounded. The Magni 3 has better dynamics, but the Heresy is a little more tight knit. Both have that kind of flat stage thing going on. So, it's like, take your pick between a slightly bouncier sound or a slightly tighter sound.

    I think people are a bit too hard on the Heresy myself. The dynamics are a bit compressed, but it still drives an HD600/650 well enough to wake it up, and the stage is flat. It sounds pretty balanced, cohesive, and normal to me otherwise.

    I suppose I'm used to hearing many greater tradeoffs in amps. More risk for more reward in other areas. Perhaps I'm more forgiving of the Heresy because it's going more for normal, even plain, than it is for flair. Might also be why I was kind to the Liquid Platinum. Where some found it boring, I found it refreshingly refined and polished despite being slightly sleepy.

    Honestly, if someone were to not tell me which was which of the new Magnis going in, I'd have assumed the Heresy was the 3+, given what it has in common with the original Magni 3.

    The 3+ sounds nothing like either of them to me.

    I'd go so far as to say the 3+ sounds most like the Valhalla 2 out of the Schiit amps. More neutral tone, fast, good sense of space, but even has some similar gritty, splashy timbre issues.

    Have more people not heard this? The 3+ exhibits some weird timbre characteristics that most amps don't, from Schiit or otherwise. I think it lends itself well to a NOS DAC, but I felt a bit uneasy about it otherwise with OS DACs (my norm these days, believe it or not) and rock/metal.

    Still, the 3+ has a lot of great things going for it and is impressive for $100. But it takes bigger risks than the Heresy and its predecessor in terms of sound. I still find the original Magni 3 impressive for it's price and enjoy it regularly to this day. And that the Heresy is like the Magni 3, I can't help but enjoy it too.
     

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