Valencia is truly a microscope to your audio system. I never realize how much quieter the Psvane Horizon 2A3 tubes was compare to my RCA UX-245 tubes. When swap to my 2A3 combo instead of the usual 45 combo, the noise floor gotten much quieter to the point where itās barely audible when I use my iem. Iām talking that I had to focus to hear that barely audible noise. I unplug and plug it back in to make sure if it was actually noisy or not.
I did this all while using the Jomo Audio Nautilus iem since itās the only iem that sensitive to hear my chain like that and plus I wanted to try my new cable that I just got today. Btw, the Jomo Audio Nautilus with Valencia is freaking amazing. I feel like it enhanced all the best features I like about the Nautilus which is the bass thump, female vocal clarity, and soundstage depth. Super overkill for iem. But hey, it sounds freaking fantastic and itās basically noise free. I will probably buy a 4.4mm extension cable so I can use my iem with Valencia in a more conventional setup since I have to put Valencia near me as my iem cables are pretty short.
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I found a really cool interview video of Orchard Audio and they do talk about Valencia in the first part. I do agree on what Leo said, his amps are so neutral and transparent that itās basically like having straight wire with gain. I will say his amp does do something besides that. I think his amp really brings out the best (especially bass) on either my headphones or speaker. I am not too sure if itās just a power thing or what. I just get the best bass performance I heard on my DCA Stealth headphone. I can feel my DCA Stealth trying not to break character to not be a visceral headphone, but that headphone canāt help but vibrate because of the bass tracks on the Valencia and itās still the cleanest bass I heard for Stealth. Going to his speaker power amp, Starkrimson Ultra, my Buchardt S400 MK II speaker and Platimon speaker bass performance gets crazy good that I get shock on how huge the bass can sound on these bookshelf speakers. Transparency and power is probably the two words I would come to mind when I think of Leo amps.
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Any chance we can see under the hood? Curious what the layout is on this beast besides the board preview from earlier.
Maybe another Valencia owner or Leo could show it. I looked at the unit itself and there is a lot of screws from the top chassis and the sides just to lift the hood that I donāt really feel comfortable just unscrewing them.
Getting set up for Chicago. Anybody whoās in the area and wants to hear Valencia or Eris or play with Magia or my DDHi-Fi connector collab or even the new Defiant IEMs come on down to Axpona.
Currently trying to figure out if I can use a switch box to demonstrate different DAC or source/pre flavors into a single Valencia. Topping d90 Mark 1 is my reference boring source. It just goes ape shit from there.
Iām thinking I should just bring headphones made by creators and small boutique manufacturers.
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Once the cases arrive at the assembler in Arkansasās probably Monday. We should get full final pictures with the full final board later in the week.
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I will have 8 Valencia to Sell at Axpona next weekend! Show price will likely be the preorder price of $1600 and we will absorb the tax and obviously no shipping.
Also 16 Pairs of Eris
Also 10 ddHiFi Adapter Toolkits - https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256808290240228.html?gatewayAdapt=glo2usa4itemAdapt
Also 10 Magia Cables (Various) including some with the new Hart Audio Ends. Apos x Z Reviews Magia Cable
Also 4 Brand New sets of Juzear Defiant IEMs - ā¦ Juzear Master Thread
Hope to see some of you in Chicago! Here is the Layout of the 3 setups I will be Demoing
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Looking forward to it!
Also in room 452ā¦ Active vs Passive Speaker demo
Orchard Audio has teamed up with Creative Sound Solutions (CSS), Danville Signal, and Hollis Audio Labs to present a cutting-edge 3-way active speaker system based on the acclaimed CSS Flagship Criton 3TD-X floor-standing speaker. This innovative setup features the Danville Signal dspNexus 2/8 digital crossover with filters designed by CSS and programming supported by Hollis Audio Labs. The active setup is powered by six Orchard Audio amplifiers, utilizing one Starkrimson Mono Premium (150W) amp for each tweeter and midwoofer and a Starkrimson Mono Ultra Premium (500W) amp for each pair of woofers. To demonstrate the superiority of this digital/active approach, a standard Criton 3TD-X speaker with traditional passive crossover components will also be on hand, allowing attendees to hear the difference in real time. Visit Room 452 to experience this unique collaboration and the future of high-fidelity sound.
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Folks have started getting their preordersā¦
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Excited to get mine 
, hoping a switch I have coming will work to let me use the preamp functions on my V281, WA7 and Zen Can 3 with it for some different flavors.
Which color ended up being more popular so far?
If I remember right, Z said you were doing 50 of each for the first run?
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Black is out selling silver 2 to 1
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As all my gear is black, so I would most likely be one of those who pickup a black finished model (still a ways off from that purchase though). 
Thatās what I ordered, Iām the same boat as @MindBreak, no silver gear here.
Does it get pretty hot after hours of use? Idly debating printing an under desk mount to keep it accessible right to the side but if it needs some breathing room up top Iāll probably just keep it on the desktop.
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It doesnāt get hot after hours of use, it will still be cool to the touch. Regarding if it needs breathing room up top, it does not. It is just the logo plate seal up, so you can stack things on it and not worry. It looks it breathes at the back of the unit and underneath it.
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Thatās the prototype brushed finished but still nice. The new ones are a sandblasted finish.
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