Kind folks,
Please help me keep what sanity I have left. I currently run a heresy/modi stack. For the most part, it’s been great. For reference this is connected to my gaming computer on one side of my office. On the other side, I want to setup a listening corner. I could just run a long cable from the existing stack, but where’s the fun in that ?
Headphones are lcd-x or lcd-gx, Elex, 6xx, isine 20 (no cipher, use a Qudelix k5 for eq), DT 990.
I want to experience the tube sound, and the power-up of headphones like the 6xx. However, from the hours of reading, it looks like pure tube is out of the question due to high output impedance and high sensitivity of the Elex and isine. This lead me to hybrids. Initially, the Valhalla 2 appealed to me, but it seems contrary to Schiit’s claims, this doesn’t do well with low impedance hp. Next I researched the Lyr 3, and many here love it, but on other forums folks say this isn’t really a “tube sound” and to grab a JOT/Asgard and grab a darkvoice. I don’t like the idea of a Chinese high voltage/high heat appliance. I’m probably full of ****, but there you have it.
For the DAC, I’m fairly set on a Bifrost 2 in order to never buy another DAC. Unless folks think I should just get a modius to save some green. At some point I may upgrade my speakers (Micca mb42x) and run them through this DAC as well. Right now they run off the modi and a smsl sa 50.
Sound signature I like is warm. I don’t mind highs occasionally, but not Beyerdynamic highs. Soundstage is kinda a toss up; somethings I want intimate, others I want to be in a concert hall.
So Lyr3/BF2? Asgard/Jotunheim/darkvoice? Shut up and just get a micro black label with added portability to replace the Qudelix k5?