Schiit Audio Valhalla 2
TRIODE OTL HEADPHONE AMP AND PREAMP
I received this beautiful headphone amp new, as a gift from my family this past holiday season. I installed the tubes, used it for two hours with a pair of Sennheiser HD650 headphones, and proceeded to never use it again! Not because it didn't sound warm and wonderful, because it did, but I'M JUST NOT A HEADPHONE GUY. So instead of it sitting in a box in my closet, I am listing it here. I'll probably eventually list the Sennheiser's I also got for Christmas, since I don't use those either. Item will be shipped in the factory box with the (4) tubes and power cord that were originally included. NOTE: This is the 120V North American version with a USA style, 3 prong plug.
Shipping
Even though it's probably not necessary because the factory box is very heavy duty, the Valhalla 2 headphone amp will
be shipped DOUBLE-BOXED and surrounded by lots of packing material to make sure it arrives to you in perfect condition. Thanks for
looking!
Manufacturers' Description
Go ahead. Do things with Valhalla 2 that you’d never attempt with
other OTL tube amps. Run low-impedance headphones. Use IEMs. Valhalla 2
is a complete re-imagining of Valhalla, with improved performance,
higher output capability, lower distortion and output impedance.
Tubes Made Flexible
While most tube OTL amps are really only designed for 300 ohm Senns
and 600 ohm Beyers, Valhalla 2 stretches to include headphones that
you’d never expect to use with a tube amp. Go ahead. Use it with Grados.
Run it with AKGs. Rely on it for many IEMs. You may even like it with
high-efficiency planars like LCD-X, LCD-XC, Oppo PM-1 and HE-400.
A Complete Desktop Preamp
Valhalla 2 also adds two important features: preamp outs and a gain
switch. Preamp outs let you connect your powered monitors directly to
Valhalla 2, to give them some of what some people call “tube magic.” The
gain switch gives you better control of both output level and
impedance, for better matching to your headphones. It's easy to build a
complete desktop system around the Valhalla.
Not Your Father’s Tube Amp
If you’re expecting syrupy, tubby, euphonically colored tube sound,
you’re in for a shock. Valhalla 2 is exceptionally accurate, neutral,
and resolving, without being strident or etched.
Made in USA
By “made in USA,” we mean made in USA. The vast majority
of the total production cost of Valhalla 2—chassis, boards,
transformers, assembly, etc—goes to US companies manufacturing in the
US. Our board house is 20 minutes away from our office in Newhall. Our
chassis guys are just over the hill in the Valley.
Specifications
Frequency Response: 20Hz-20Khz, -0.1db, 7Hz-200KHz, -3dB
Maximum Power, 50 ohms: 180mW RMS per channel
Maximum Power, 300 ohms: 800mW RMS per channel
Maximum Power, 600 ohms: 450mW RMS per channel
THD: < 0.02%, 20Hz-20KHz, at 1V RMS, high gain (worst case)
IMD: < 0.03%, CCIF at 1V RMS, high gain (worst case)
SNR: > 98db, unweighted, referenced to 1V RMS, low gain
Crosstalk: < -71dB, 20 Hz-20KHz
Output Impedance: 14 ohms (hi gain), 3.5 ohms (lo gain)
Gain: 7 (16.9db) or 1.5 (3.5 db), via rear switch
Topology: All-triode, noninverting, single voltage gain
stage, current source biased front end and optimized WCF output stage,
DC-coupled input
Tube Complement: 6N1P dual triode input, 6N6P dual
triode output, 1 each per channel. 6N1Ps rollable to 6DJ8, E88CC, 6922,
6BZ7, and similar types.
Power Supply: Two internal power transformers with over 2,000uF of filter capacitance
Power Consumption: 40W
Size: 9 x 6 x 3.25”
Weight: 7 lbs