New Amp or DAC first for my HD 800?

[Phillay]

I just purchased a pair of HD 800's (not to be mistaken for HD 800S). I currently have a Fiio E17K amp/dac and a JDS Labs O2 Amp (without the ODAC). My question is (since I don't have the budget for both at the same time), should I upgrade my amp first or my DAC? I will be looking to purchase the Modi 2 Multibit as the DAC and the Schiit Lyr 2 as the amp (with the LISST tubes as well as the 6BZ7 tubes).

 

Thanks!!

[TheRandomness]

-Thread moved to Audio.

[Dackzy]

what kind of budget are we working with?

@Lays seems to be very fond of the Audio-GD NFB11 for his HD800's

 

If you want to go tube, then you better be 100% certain that you like tube sound

[Phillay]

My budget is around $600.00 for now. What I like about the Lyr 2 is that it is a hybrid. With the LISST tubes it becomes a solid state which is appealing for me to be able to switch between SS and Tube. I will also be driving my AKG K7XX as well as my HiFiMan HE 400 and 400i.

[SSL]

31 minutes ago, Phillay said:

My budget is around $600.00 for now. What I like about the Lyr 2 is that it is a hybrid. With the LISST tubes it becomes a solid state which is appealing for me to be able to switch between SS and Tube. I will also be driving my AKG K7XX as well as my HiFiMan HE 400 and 400i.

 

Lyr 2 lacks the resolution for the HD800. Vali 2 with a decent tube might even be better in this regard.

[Lays]

2 hours ago, Phillay said:

My budget is around $600.00 for now. What I like about the Lyr 2 is that it is a hybrid. With the LISST tubes it becomes a solid state which is appealing for me to be able to switch between SS and Tube. I will also be driving my AKG K7XX as well as my HiFiMan HE 400 and 400i.

If Lyr 2 is somewhat like Lyr 2, it doesn't have the resolution for HD800, it doesn't sound right. I've had a Magni 2 modi 2 uber combo, an Asgard 2 + modi 2 uber, a Lyr, O2 ODAC, and now I have an Audio GD NFB-11, none of the solutions match the performance of my NFB-11.  Asgard 2 would of been second, but a good deal behind performance of the nfb-11.  The 11 makes them so much more punchy, drums actually sound like real drums now

[spwath]

11 hours ago, Dackzy said:

what kind of budget are we working with?

@Lays seems to be very fond of the Audio-GD NFB11 for his HD800's

 

If you want to go tube, then you better be 100% certain that you like tube sound

i would not say that. Good tube amps won't have "tube sound".

[SSL]

9 minutes ago, Lays said:

If Lyr 2 is somewhat like Lyr 2, it doesn't have the resolution for HD800, it doesn't sound right. I've had a Magni 2 modi 2 uber combo, an Asgard 2 + modi 2 uber, a Lyr, O2 ODAC, and now I have an Audio GD NFB-11, none of the solutions match the performance of my NFB-11.  Asgard 2 would of been second, but a good deal behind performance of the nfb-11.  The 11 makes them so much more punchy, drums actually sound like real drums now

 

OP should be aware that Modi 2U is weaksauce, especially in the bass. I would expect Modi MB to fare better.

[Lays]

45 minutes ago, SSL said:

 

OP should be aware that Modi 2U is weaksauce, especially in the bass. I would expect Modi MB to fare better.

Idk how to feel about modi mb, for only a bit more you can get niffbuh, once you throw a decent amp in with modi mb, you're already basically at/above the same price

[SSL]

7 minutes ago, Lays said:

Idk how to feel about modi mb, for only a bit more you can get niffbuh, once you throw a decent amp in with modi mb, you're already basically at/above the same price

 

But are you at or above the same performance?

[jessietigres]

jotunheim with the dac in it 

[SSL]

2 minutes ago, jessietigres said:

jotunheim with the dac in it 

 

That treble, though.

[jessietigres]

2 minutes ago, SSL said:

 

That treble, though.

yeah kinda depends on your preferences take this from a guy who loves akgs and beyers and sennheiser hd650s because they showed me what bass impact can do in classical but that another story

[SSL]

1 minute ago, jessietigres said:

yeah kinda depends on your preferences take this from a guy who loves akgs and beyers and sennheiser hd650s because they showed me what bass impact can do in classical but that another story

 

More likely to be physiological differences. I can't imagine many people who would prefer HD800 treble with the Jot.

[jessietigres]

1 minute ago, SSL said:

 

More likely to be physiological differences. I can't imagine many people who would prefer HD800 treble with the Jot.

why would you buy hd800 if you don't like treble? 

[SSL]

Just now, jessietigres said:

why would you buy hd800 if you don't like treble? 

 

Mod it, pair with with synergistic gear.

[jessietigres]

1 minute ago, SSL said:

 

Mod it, pair with with synergistic gear.

you're right moding it and buying synergistic gear is cheaper than hd800s

[Lays]

21 minutes ago, SSL said:

 

But are you at or above the same performance?

What can you get with MMB and still be below $400? I think nfb-11 fully upgraded with shipping is like $365 or something  Asgard 2 + mmb = $500? I can't remember how much mmb is and I'm too lazy to google.  A guy I know Ryan that owns Modhouseaudio says he likes the mmb dac more than nfb-11 dac, but the nfb-11 amp + dac sounds better than mmb with other schiit amps or something like that.  He's the only person I know that has compared both though, so idk.

[SSL]

1 minute ago, Lays said:

What can you get with MMB and still be below $400? I think nfb-11 fully upgraded with shipping is like $365 or something  Asgard 2 + mmb = $500? I can't remember how much mmb is and I'm too lazy to google.  A guy I know Ryan that owns Modhouseaudio says he likes the mmb dac more than nfb-11 dac, but the nfb-11 amp + dac sounds better than mmb with other schiit amps or something like that.  

 

I guess that's it, then. Tell Ryan thanks for me.

[Lays]

1 hour ago, SSL said:

 

I guess that's it, then. Tell Ryan thanks for me.

He also thinks he-500 is like best thing uganda so idk lol

[SSL]

20 minutes ago, Lays said:

He also thinks he-500 is like best thing uganda so idk lol

 

I mean, it's a data point. It seems like kind of a sweeping claim, though, as the midrange schiit amps are all different and pair well with different things.

[Lays]

Just now, SSL said:

 

I mean, it's a data point. It seems like kind of a sweeping claim, though, as the midrange schiit amps are all different and pair well with different things.

Yeah, unfortunately I think he's the only person I know that's tried both, actually I think he has an NFB-28, but IIRC the DAC + amp in single-ended output is the same as NFB-11. 

[SSL]

Just now, Lays said:

Yeah, unfortunately I think he's the only person I know that's tried both, actually I think he has an NFB-28, but IIRC the DAC + amp in single-ended output is the same as NFB-11. 

 

I'm hoping that sbaf does a loaner of that or the nfb-11, but audio gd stuff is not that popular there so who knows if that will happen.

 

I'm skeptical of anything that is claimed to be a panacea, like even Schiit gear is often over-hyped with regards to being such an unbeatable value.

[Dackzy]

4 hours ago, spwath said:

i would not say that. Good tube amps won't have "tube sound".

well not really they will still change the sound it just comes down to what degree and then we start getting into tube rolling and that can be a rabbit hole.

[Phillay]

6 hours ago, SSL said:

 

Lyr 2 lacks the resolution for the HD800. Vali 2 with a decent tube might even be better in this regard.

I should mention that I'm interested in the Lyr 2 because I would also like it to drive my AKG K7xx as well as my HiFiMan HE 400 and 400i's. The ability for the Lyr 2 to become a solid state with the LISST tubes is very appealing to me. Would you still recommend the Vali 2 in that case? If so, the Vali 2 is significantly cheaper than the Lyr 2 and would be within my budget for me to get both at the same time...