Schiit Audio Vali 3
The Vali 3 brings crisp clarity, punchy dynamics, and an impressively wide soundstage to affordable hybrid amplification. StereoNET United Kingdom found its bright, balanced voicing revealing yet smooth, with strong bass drive and enough authority for the 300-ohm HD600. Tube rolling, dual gain settings, and compact build add genuine enthusiast appeal.
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Nicely Roasted
Sound Quality
88/100
Build Quality
85/100
Features Usability
82/100
Value for Money
94/100
Pros
Clear, detailed and balanced presentation combines bright openness with smoothness rather than brittleness.
Punchy, rhythmically energetic delivery with strong, textured bass and a wide, involving soundstage.
Excellent value, with performance reported to exceed expectations for its affordable price.
Tube rolling and selectable high/low gain provide useful flexibility, while the compact case is attractively finished.
Cons
Focused analogue design lacks digital inputs and balanced headphone connectivity.
May not offer sufficient power for demanding high-end headphones with difficult impedance loads.
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What Reviewers Are Saying
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 88/100
The Vali 3 is described as unusually clear, punchy and rhythmically alert for such a small affordable amplifier, with a broadly even presentation rather than an overtly syrupy tube sound. Its brighter, crisp character brings recordings forward without apparent brittleness, while the review also praises a wide, involving soundstage.
Transparency Resolution
91/100
StereoNET found the Vali 3 direct and detailed, saying it opens up recessed recordings and lets the listener dig deeply into the mix. With the Sennheiser HD600, it delivered clear, purposeful playback with “oodles of detail”.
Tonal Balance Musicality
90/100
The review calls the amplifier surprisingly even and balanced, despite a bright, crisp and well-lit overall voicing. That illumination is said to avoid brittleness, while the presentation remains smooth and engaging rather than stereotypically tubey.
Dynamics
92/100
The Vali 3 is praised as big-sounding, rhythmically snappy and punchy, with ample power in use. Bass on La Roux's “Bulletproof” was described as strong, crunchy and driving, with convincing texture.
Noise Floor
80/100
The review does not specifically discuss hiss, hum, or use with highly sensitive IEMs. It reports clean and detailed listening through the HD600, but offers little direct evidence about background silence with more demanding sensitive loads.
Headphone Compatibility
87/100
The Vali 3 performed clearly and purposefully with the 300-ohm Sennheiser HD600, and the reviewer found plenty of power available. Its high/low gain switch and published output across 32- to 600-ohm loads suggest useful flexibility, although the review covers only one headphone pairing directly.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Quality
85/100
StereoNET describes the compact, lightweight case as attractively styled, with a finish that is very good for the asking price. The packaging also earned praise, although there is little commentary on long-term durability or the quality of controls and sockets.
Features Usability
82/100
This is a focused analogue headphone amplifier with a single RCA input, RCA line outputs, a 6.3mm headphone jack and selectable high/low gain. Tube rolling adds useful scope to tailor the sound, but there is no onboard DAC, balanced connectivity, remote control, or digital input.
Value for Money
94/100
At £150, StereoNET says performance “completely belies its price” and considers it significantly better sounding than expected from such an affordable component. The reviewer calls it a bargain-basement-priced amplifier that should bring excellent results in a wide range of decent systems.
Reviews & Sources
Professional reviews and sources for this product's Watt'n Potatoes analysis.
Online Reviews & Mentions
YouTube Reviews
Forum Mentions
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Specifications
- Maximum Power
- 32 ohms: 1500mW RMS per channel 50 ohms: 1000mW RMS per channel 300 ohms: 400mW RMS per channel 600 ohms: 200mW RMS per channel
- Note
- Maximum power rated at less than 10% THD for tube and tube hybrid amps, as compared to less than 1% for solid state.
- Low Gain
- Frequency Response: 20Hz-20Khz, +/-0.02db at 300 ohms, 20Hz-20Khz, +/-0.6db at 32 ohms THD: <0.007%, 20Hz-20KHz, at 1V RMS, 300 ohms IMD: <0.014%, CCIR, 300 ohms SNR: >117db, A-weighted, referenced to 2V RMS Crosstalk: -87dB, 20Hz-20KHz, 300 ohms Output Impedance: 0.5 ohms
- High Gain
- Frequency Response: 20Hz-20Khz, +/-0.04db at 300 ohms, 20Hz-20Khz, +/-0.6db at 32 ohms THD: <0.35%, 20Hz-20KHz, at 1V RMS, 300 ohms IMD: <0.45%, CCIR, 300 ohms SNR: >105db, A-weighted, referenced to 2V RMS Crosstalk: -70dB, 20Hz-20KHz, 300 ohms Output Impedance: 1.8 ohms
- Input Impedance
- 50K ohms
- Gain
- 5 (14dB) or 1 (0dB)
- Topology
- Coherence™: tube voltage gain with convolved bipolar current mode inverter and discrete bipolar class A driver and Class AB output stage
- Protection
- delayed start and fast shut-down with muting relay
- Power Supply
- wall wart with 24VAC and 6VAC outputs, regulated HV and LV rails for tube and bipolar components, 6V AC heater
- Power Consumption
- 9W
- Size
- 5 x 3.5 x 2.75”
- Weight
- 1 lb
- APx555 Report
- Vali 3 (link provided)
Manufacturer's Description — Schiit Audio
What if we blew up the whole entry-level tube headphone amp idea by making a stunningly beautiful product that outperforms stuff that’s way more expensive? Well, there’s no “what if” about it. Meet Vali 3, the new standard in affordable tube gear.
Class-Crushing Tech
Go ahead and compare Vali 3 to the competition…and you’ll find there’s no comparison. With a full 100V on the plate, Vali 3 crushes other designs using only 12-48V. Tubes love voltage, and Vali 3 provides it. For output, Vali 3 uses a fully discrete, Class AB bipolar stage in our own Coherence™ current-feedback topology—no op-amps or chip amps like you’ll find in other products. The result is an amp that’s nothing like anything near its price.
Insanely Good Looks
At the same time, you’ll notice our new advanced form, custom-stamped chassis—made in California, by the way—that takes affordable design to new levels. Compare to other gear in off-the-shelf or open-frame chassis. Again, no comparison!
A Complete Tube System
Vali 3 is ready to tube your entire desktop—delivering plenty of power for hard-to-drive headphones, and a low noise floor for more sensitive cans. Plus, it covers all your needs with preamp outputs for your powered monitors or speaker power amp…and it stacks perfectly with our Modi DACs or Loki Mini equalizer to create a complete desktop system.
One Tube to Roll Them
We chose one tube, because, let’s face it: good tubes are getting harder to get. Vali 3 ships with a 6N3P tube standard. Stick with that for great stock sound, or find the perfect tube for your needs with tons of interesting options, including 5670, 2C51, 6CC42 and CV4013. Got a big wallet? Heck, it will accept the legendary WE396A!
Designed and Built in the USABy “designed and built in the USA” this is what we mean: the vast majority of the total production cost of Vali—chassis, boards, assembly, etc—goes to US companies manufacturing in the US. Our chassis are made in California. Our PCBs are made in California or Nevada, and it all comes together in our Corpus Christi facility.2-Year Warranty, 15-Day Easy ReturnsVali is covered by a 2-year limited warranty that covers parts and labor. One exception: 90 days on the tube. And if you don’t like your Vali, you can send it back for a refund, minus 15% restocking fee, within 15 days of receiving it.
Verified Dealers
Online Dealers
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Authorized dealers for Schiit Audio Vali 3
- Acoustic Sounds — online and in-store — Salina, Kansas, United States (website)
- Addicted to Audio — online and in-store — Epping, Victoria, Australia (website)
- Audio Magic - EU — online and in-store — Wola, Województwo mazowieckie, Poland (website)
- Class D Audio USA — online — United States (website)
- Golden Acoustics — in-store — Athina, Greece (website)
- Schiit Audio — online and in-store — Los Angeles, California, United States (website)
- The Analog Shop — in-store — Victor, New York, United States (website)