Vali 2+ vs RU6 for iems Review

Discussion in 'IEMs and Portable Gear' started by rhythmdevils, Jul 5, 2022.

  1. jexby

    jexby Posole Prince

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    it could be just you. myopic comments from a hairy perspective much?
    I never said iFi GO bars were neutral sounding, nor a ESS detail whore device. simply that GO Bar doesn't roll off the audio experience like RU6 does for many IEM pairings and GO delivers better dynamic swing.

    I've heard them both. if you have not, pause comment until you have.
    or continue to live in dreamy honey syrup world which is mildly less than warmpoo.
     
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  2. YMO

    YMO Chief Fun Officer

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    I'll live in my dreamy gf syrup. I don't need to listen to any other dongle ATM since the OG R2R sound is perfect for my needs.
     
  3. jexby

    jexby Posole Prince

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    ya know, I can't quibble as much with the RU6 after listening to it today connected to iPhone, balanced, Low Gain with Solaris 2020.
    RU6 may have some roll off, but it's not slow honey syrup nor warmpoo.
    RU6 also throws a wider stage than the iFi GO Bars.

    there's still some cleaner "edges" at times from the GO Bar presentation that pair better with Timeless 7Hz for some I bet.
    but I honestly could listen to RU6 + Solaris 2020 all day.
     
  4. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    Is there a bad comparison? It's kind of just interesting to read perspectives. I compared both the Holo May and Rokna Wavelight to the Yggdrasil A2 and wound up preferring the Yggdrasil A2/og.

    I don't think there are any stupid comparisons. Just perspectives.

    I'm going to compare my left butt cheek to a TKD potentiometer in 60,000 characters. Then we'll see how mr. irrelevant feels.
     
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  5. yotacowboy

    yotacowboy McRibs Kind of Guy

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    <------- patiently waiting for the measurements thread.
     
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  6. Tachikoma

    Tachikoma Almost "Made"

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    What about RU6 -> Vali 2+ vs RU6 alone?
     
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  7. Merrick

    Merrick A lidless ear

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    I did RU6 to Vali 2+ and it sounded etched to me. You have to run the RU6 at max to get 2V from the SE out and I think it was just too much.
     
  8. Azimuth

    Azimuth FKA rtaylor76, Friend

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    The RU6 as a DAC is almost better than as a headphone amp. The RU6 has a full 2V output on the unbalanced outs. So it will sound like a Vali 2+ with the slight rolled off nature and NOS of RU6. Basically it will impart more of the Vali 2+ sound and give you much more power output.

    And I like the RU6 as a DAC. It was almost designed to be this way from the start.
     
  9. limesoft

    limesoft Friend

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    According to Cayin the RU6 as DAC is not ideal as running the outputs on highest 2v output bumps up the distortion a lot due to R2R circuit space limitations - it doesn't have a proper clean line out. I noticed that when I max the RU6 volume and use it as source into my headamp it gets a little dirty/etched sounding. Cayin recommend lowering the volume of the dongle and increasing the volume of the amplifier instead to get the best audio for the ratio.. I find around 70% dongle volume the sound still stays relatively clean
     
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  10. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    FWIW, got the RU6 here. Not a big fan. Rolled up top, syrupy lows, dull. Much prefer the iFi GO Blu. Reminds me of the boring phase of R2R DACs when Wadia (post golden age of ladder DAC) was the only game in town. More in-depth review later.
     
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  11. YMO

    YMO Chief Fun Officer

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    Make sure to adjust NOS/OS before final decision.
     
  12. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    It's in OS mode. I shudder to think of how it may sound under NOS. (Note: using direct to various Grados, SR225X, RS2X with F cush, RS1X with Gerod, etc.) Get ready for scathing review; but will pull some punches, well at least as much as I can.
     
  13. YMO

    YMO Chief Fun Officer

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    Try NOS before throwing in the towel. Also, I wouldn't use it for Grados with F Cush (I bet my right nut that it is too warmish and dullish) or any headphones to be honest (I think someone enjoyed the Clear with the RU6). I gotten best enjoyment with neutralish IEMs, since IMO I think the RU6 is more design for IEMs. @shotgunshane and I enjoyed the RU6 with the Moondrop Kato, which is my primary use case when I do casual listening via my iPhone.

    But at the end of the day, it has the OG R2R sound that people either going to like or not like.
     
  14. Azimuth

    Azimuth FKA rtaylor76, Friend

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    NOS it actually does sound better. I was not impressed at all in OS mode. FWIW
     
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  15. Merrick

    Merrick A lidless ear

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    Once I went NOS with it I never went back. It's definitely got that warmer, gooier R2R sound.
     
  16. zottel

    zottel Friend

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    IMHO, it sounds good enough with the Timeless to be the only thing to have with me on vacation right now. But to me, it only really starts to shine (and megalomanically so) in NOS mode with external upsampling.

    In my admittedly limited experience, Roon upsampled > RU 6 NOS bal > Jot 2 bal > Clear Mg is by very far the best synergy I ever heard.
     
  17. limesoft

    limesoft Friend

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    I can see how the slightly blunted, fluffy nature of the RU 6 can complement the slightly too dynamic/attacking nature of the Clear MG
     
  18. zottel

    zottel Friend

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    It’s not the RU6 alone. It does sound good with the Clear Mg, but something is missing, it’s all a bit boring. The Timeless are a better match IMO.

    Nothing I ever heard beats the RU6/Jot2/ClearMg combination, though, with external upsampling. As a DAC here, the RU6 is leagues ahead of the Schiit ESS card I have in my Jot 2 (though, again, the really big leap to my ears only comes with external upsampling). I’m always wondering what a BF2/64 would do here, and how it would compare. :)
     
  19. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Confirmed. NOS mode sounds better. I guess it's like the Holo and Denadrips DACs where the OS mode sounds like garbage by killing the soul of the music.

    However, I don't think it's great or even good sounding. While I'm not a measurement fanatic, I bet there is something going on with the measurements. This sounds like one of those craptastic discrete ladder deals to my ears. Just because one can slap discrete resistors into a small package with the big "R2R" sticker, doesn't mean that one should.
     
  20. limesoft

    limesoft Friend

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    I think I saw some measurements online of the RU6 which are supposed to be quite terrible. I agree, it does give off the craptastic R2R circuit feel - given the size and dongle power I assume it's tricky to achieve a lot more. There's no doubt many compromises, but it still sounds like R2R craptastic or not and it's nice to have a unique flavour vs all the d/s dongles out there. If I'm honest I kinda stopped using it as after a while the R2Rness of it was not enough to offset the slightly dirty/off sound. I haven't tried the ifi go dongle, but something like the Earmen Colibri sounded superior for me; both smooth pleasing and correct (although it had other technical issues so I returned it).

    I wouldn't be surprised if you go either way with your review - it depends if the positives outweigh the negatives for you as there's no other R2R sounding dongle craptastic or not, from what I've tried.

    I now use a Ifi Gryphon which is superior sound no surprise - giving both warmth/natural + good technical performance - i know it's not a dongle and costs double, but it's the only reasonably priced portable that gives me some R2R like goodness (thanks to a well implemented burr brown) but with technical sensibilities and measurements expected in this day and age.
     
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