Schiit Vali 3 Headphone Amplifier Review

However good your headphones are, they're only as good as the amplifier driving them. That's why the market for headphone amps has really soared in the past decade, as personal audio and/or head-fi has become ever more popular. As we shall see, in the Vali 3, Schiit Audio has an affordable specialist design aimed at those who want a minimalist, no-frills, performance-focused product.

The Vali 3 is essentially a fully discrete Class AB bipolar transistor design that uses a single 6N3P vacuum tube for gain. The latter works at an unusually high 100 volts on the plate, according to the manufacturer, whereas many other similar rivals use 12V to 48V. Schiit says, "Tubes love voltage, and the Vali 3 provides it!" The company emphasises that no op-amps are used for amplification, which will have audiophiles purring; Schiit's own Coherence current-feedback topology is used. As you would expect from a modern headphone amp, it features full protection circuitry with soft start, as well as fast shutdown with a muting relay. In use, it operates as coolly as any tube amplifier can.

As well as being attractively styled, the Vali 3's case is small and light [127x89x31mm, 450g]. The tube sits on top and must be inserted into its base before use. On the front, there's a small volume knob, a 6.3mm (quarter-inch) headphone jack, and a high/low gain switch. Around the back are one pair of RCA analogue line inputs, one pair of RCA line outs, a power switch, and a DIN power input that connects to the supplied 'wall wart' type AC power supply. The latter is unusually chunky and looks to be of very good quality.

Schiit has made a name for itself by offering surprisingly nicely made, compact products at almost bafflingly low prices. Even more impressive is that its products are made in the company's native USA; much of the Vali 3, including the chassis, boards and assembly, is done in Texas, and the printed circuit boards come from Utah. The finish is as good as you can reasonably ask for at the price, and the packaging is excellent.

Schiit says the unit is designed for 'tube rolling', which means you can fit several different tubes into the socket, not just the supplied 6N3P. It states that it will work with the 5670, 2C51, ECC42, CV4013, and WE396A, allowing the user to choose according to their taste and/or budget. With the stock tube, the company claims a power output of 1.5W per channel into 32 ohm headphones, 1W into 50 ohms, 0.4W into 300 ohms or 0.2W into 600 ohms. This is enough for most people and headphone types, but for high-end cans with trickier impedances, you'd obviously want more. 

THE LISTENING

This baby headphone amp delivers performance that completely belies its price. Offering a noticeable sonic improvement over most standard integrated amplifiers, CD players, or streamer headphone outputs, it sounds significantly better than you would expect from something this affordable. The Vali 3 combines power, clarity, and smoothness to deliver a direct, detailed, and punchy sound that is more solid-state in character than it is vacuum-tube. It has a bright, crisp, well-lit tonality that throws open even the most recessed recordings to full scrutiny, letting the listener dig deep into the mix. At the same time, though, there's no sense of brittleness or any other such transistor maladies. It's a surprisingly even and balanced-sounding design.

Cue up some syrupy eighties pop in the shape of The Dream Academy's The Love Parade, and the Vali 3 gets straight down to it. Through Sennheiser HD600 headphones, which are typically just a little on the soft side, the song comes across clearly and purposefully, with oodles of detail pouring forth. It's easy to hear, for example, those vintage mid-eighties synthesisers and drum machines doing their thing, with their trademark clangy sound. At the same time, vocals are smooth yet bristle with energy. The jaunty millennial pop of La Roux's Bulletproof gets a strong, crunchy, and driving bass with great texture from the keyboards and crisp highs.

Also impressive is the soundstaging – the Vali 3 pushes wide stage left and right with old-school acoustic rock, such as REM's Maps and Legends. The chiming sound of Peter Buck's multilayered guitars sits behind the powerful, centrally located vocals of Michael Stipe, creating a mesmeric effect. Even though this Schiit headphone amp throws out legions of detail from the recording, it never sounds overly analytical as it tries to keep up. The overall effect is that of a big-sounding, rhythmically snappy device that throws a bright, yet not harsh, light on whatever it plays – and there's plenty of power, too. 

THE VERDICT

Although designed to pair with Schiit's own Modi DACs or Loki Mini equaliser, the Vali 3 headphone amplifier should slot seamlessly into practically any half-decent system to deliver excellent results, considering its bargain-basement price. As such, it is highly commended – go hear it for yourself, if you can.

For more information visit Schiit Audio