I am not quite sure what to think; I have only heard they had a nice warm sound and a good bass, but they are more sounding like treble heavy than anything else.
They are for sure not more warm than my Sendy Aiva’s. Actually I don’t think they are near as laidback as the Aiva HP. Perhaps I need to give them time, but first impression is not that great to be honest, I enjoy the Aiva far more.
That’s really disappointing! That makes me wonder how different the two revisions are.
Go watch this comparison review, i think it sounds like what you are describing the Vali sounds like to me. I never heard the Vali but warm headphone is not what i would think of it like, especially since Murdoch mentioned at some point he really enjoyed them with heavy metal music.
Personally, i still think your pair look awesome, just might have to find the right equipment to give you the synergy and sound signature that suits you best with them.
2 Likes
worth it at sale price
1 Like
I’ve had them playing in the background as I do some work that I NEED to finish before the AM, as far as I’m concerned these are a steal at under $500. Also, I did not have a 3 way in my modest but growing collection of bookshelfs and these fill that role very nicely. Got the Cherry, they look great, no issues w/ Adorama, so far I have had great luck w/ them.
They are really big and heavy yet soundstage and image incredibly on a 6ft desk.
8 Likes
Thanks 
I have to give them time, perhaps they need time and will open up after +50hrs. I will certainly try and see if a different amp or dac can improve and also the kind of music.
2 Likes
What dac/amp do you use to getthe best out of your pair?
What sounded good paired with it for me was Topping DX7 Pro (DAC only) coupled with Monoprice THX 887 as the amp. I use Tidal or Flac with Roon.
This wouldn’t apply to your version of Vali, but I’m also using a two band EQ. Band 1 is a low shelf at 80hz, 3db, 1q and Band 1 is peak/dip 6000hz, 3db, 1q.
One thing I did notice is that when I try to listen to the Vali on my DAP, it doesn’t sound that good. The sound quality is noticeably worse than on my desktop setup, so I usually go to the Magni or Blons.
Your strong negative opinion makes me think I need to listen to many more headphones, my ears aren’t up to par, or the Vali version 1 vs. 2 are quite different.
I hope you find a way to enjoy them.
Sometimes I’ll have to listen to my closed backs (Magni) or my Fostex Ebony (when I’m in that mood) and I find myself craving the Vali again over everything else. When I put them back on after listening to others, it feels like my brain and ears say, “ahhhhhhhhh”. Like that’s what it’s supposed to be. Now it makes me want one of you guys to hear these even more.
1 Like
Thanks!
I will try to EQ it also, but a different amp and dac is also a way ahead. I use a Monolith by Monoprice THX but I also need to try my Xduoo-XD-05 Plus dac/amp. It is not that they sound bad, perhaps it was my expectations, that a $950 HP would sound great (I gave $720) and better than the Aiva.
Time will tell.
I get that for sure. For the price, I was disappointed with the seal and comfort. For me, the sound and novelty made up for it. I might feel differently if I heard something from ZMF or a high-end Audeze.
I thought the topping d10 was in black? did we ever resolve the Aimpire AD10 thing? I thought maybe topping had contracted out to Aimpire or something. anyone have a opportunity to compare them?
They were all out of black and I’m not bothered about the colour.
Amazon also has the Aimpire thing for sale - I specifically avoided that because I was warned it was a clone and not a Topping.
Even though it has TOPPING inthe URL - it’s the Aimpire,
1 Like
I just tried the Xduoo dac/amp and they nearly knocked my socks off !!
They sounded far from treble heavy and it was a cool and way better sound. The vocals are right in your face and very detailed, but that is just a signature, but it was clear that the right dac/amp combo can change the sound on this HP.
Okay I do have a rnhp amp and a RME dac in mind as the next project, maybe I should put some speed on that 
I like them a lot more now, so that was a good experience. I even got rid of the strong clamp force by forcing the headband further apart, so now they are ready for more usage.
2 Likes
Lol
Also yeah some headphones can be picky for amps
1 Like