Schiit Magnius Balanced Headphone Amp Review

[Jimbob54]

What should I buy
This or the THX 789 ?
I have the focal clear.

What do you currently have?!

 

[dudiflug]

What do you currently have?!

I don't have any amplifier..
Just got my focal

 

[Jimbob54]

I don't have any amplifier..
Just got my focal

So youve not listened to the Clear? You've already taken delivery of a $1500 headphone and youve not thought what amplifier you need or want?

What DAC do you have? You have a balanced cable for the Clear?

 

[dudiflug]

So youve not listened to the Clear? You've already taken delivery of a $1500 headphone and youve not thought what amplifier you need or want?

What DAC do you have? You have a balanced cable for the Clear?

I do listening to the focal clear+focal arche
It sound amazing.
But the focal arche is very expensive...
About the dac, I'm thinking to buy the topping D90

 

[Jimbob54]

I do listening to the focal clear+focal arche
It sound amazing.
But the focal arche is very expensive...
About the dac, I'm thinking to buy the topping D90

Well you want things to be nice and neat, so if you get the D90, buy the A90 and connect by xlr.. Run the Clear balanced too and be forever happy

 

[Jimbob54]

Well you want things to be nice and neat, so if you get the D90, buy the A90 and connect by xlr.. Run the Clear balanced too and be forever happy

Or if you like the look of the Magnius, buy the modiius dac to go with it. And connect via xlr and run the Clear balanced @dudiflug

 

[Helicopter]

Or if you like the look of the Magnius, buy the modiius dac to go with it. And connect via xlr and run the Clear balanced @dudiflug

This is exactly my setup; Magnius, Modius, XLRs and Focal Clear. This is my favorite combination and is my recommendation for the Clear.

I doubt it will sound different than the Topping equivalent, but I like Schiit for the style, brand, and origin.

 

[Racheski]

This is exactly my setup; Magnius, Modius, XLRs and Focal Clear. This is my favorite combination and is my recommendation for the Clear.

But...do the Mag/Mod colors match?

 

[Helicopter]

But...do the Mag/Mod colors match?

LOL

 

[dudiflug]

LOL

View attachment 79384

Beautiful setup
What gain Leve do you use?

 

[Helicopter]

Beautiful setup
What gain Leve do you use?

Thanks!

9 or 10 O'Clock is enveloping and loud for me on high gain. 12 becomes painful.

 

[Labjr]

Do they make that cable in snake skin?

 

[Helicopter]

Do they make that cable in snake skin?

That is the XLR cable that comes from Focal with the Clear. Sort of silver-white and black. It looks nice in person, but a little funny when I try to photograph it with my phone.

 

[itayoron]

What should I buy
This or the THX 789 ?
I have the focal clear.

Same question. I am currently using MOTU Ultralite Mk4 as my audio interface and DAC, and Schiit Heresy as an amp.
I understood that the MOTU DAC quality is somewhere in between the Schiit Modi and the Modius, so I am not sure whether to also invest in upgrading to the Modius or D90, or just focus on upgrading to a balanced amp, either Magnius, A90 or THX 789.
Most headphones I am currently using are unbalanced (DT770 80 Ohms, DT990 250 Ohms, OLLO HPS S4R, SHP9500, ATH-M40X), but I do own HD650 and I am waiting for the HD-58X Jubilee and HE-4XX to arrive, all three I would like to try driving balanced, and also I am planning to purchase some other headphones that can run balanced in the near future: Fostex T50RP Mk3 - Mod House Argon mod (when available again), Monolith M1060C, Meze 99 Noir.

BTW this is my first time posting here (although for a time now I am following this wonderful forum). I am relatively a newcomer to the audiophile world, and would like to thank all of the people involved here for the valuable information you share and discuss.

 

[Veri]

Same question. I am currently using MOTU Ultralite Mk4 as my audio interface and DAC, and Schiit Heresy as an amp.
I understood that the MOTU DAC quality is somewhere in between the Schiit Modi and the Modius, so I am not sure whether to also invest in upgrading to the Modius or D90, or just focus on upgrading to a balanced amp, either Magnius, A90 or THX 789.
Most headphones I am currently using are unbalanced (DT770 80 Ohms, DT990 250 Ohms, OLLO HPS S4R, SHP9500, ATH-M40X), but I do own HD650 and I am waiting for the HD-58X Jubilee and HE-4XX to arrive, all three I would like to try driving balanced

Just to be sure, if you already own heresy and have no problems driving your headphones, balanced will not make any audible difference, it can just provide additional driving power. Your current set-up seems quite nice, already.

 

[itayoron]

Just to be sure, if you already own heresy and have no problems driving your headphones, balanced will not make any audible difference, it can just provide additional driving power. Your current set-up seems quite nice, already.

Thanks for the answer. So in your opinion, the only justification for using a balanced amp is with a pair of headphones that is very inefficient and cannot be driven with a single-end amp such as Schiit Magni 3+/Heresy or JDS Labs Atom etc.?

 

[3125b]

... or to avoid ground loops if it's used in conjunctions with any grounded components (like for example as a preamp for active monitors and fed from PC via USB).

 

[amirm]

So in your opinion, the only justification for using a balanced amp is with a pair of headphones that is very inefficient and cannot be driven with a single-end amp such as Schiit Magni 3+/Heresy or JDS Labs Atom etc.?

There are two different things called "balanced."

1. Balanced XLR input. This is very useful to reduce or avoid probability of nasty ground loops which are very hard to get rid of if they occur.

2. Balanced XLR headphone output. This most of the time gives you much more output power and as you say, is useful for highly inefficient headphones.

 

[itayoron]

... or to avoid ground loops if it's used in conjunctions with any grounded components (like for example as a preamp for active monitors and fed from PC via USB).

Indeed, I am using the MOTU both as a preamp for my active monitors as well as a DAC for the headphone amp, and it is fed from PC via USB. So if I understand correctly, in my case it will make sense to use an amp with balanced XLR inputs in order to avoid ground loops?

 

[Jimbob54]

Indeed, I am using the MOTU both as a preamp for my active monitors as well as a DAC for the headphone amp, and it is fed from PC via USB. So if I understand correctly, in my case it will make sense to use an amp with balanced XLR inputs in order to avoid ground loops?

If you have or do suffer from them, maybe. But you haven't said you do. As others have said, that aside, I am not sure what you would gain by adding a balanced amp. But I really wouldnt look to change the DAC.

EDIT- The Motu doesnt have balanced/ XLR outputs- so forget the benefits of balanced inputs on a new amp. Unless I've missed something