Gbmcleod,
You may be correct that the Valhalla tend towards some leanness. And the whole concept of a 'transparent' piece of equipment is ridiculous. The Valhalla's strong suit is lower bass control, clarity, detail, and speed. They really seem to drive the music with a quicker pulse. There's no sagging of the rhythm, attack, or decay. If warmth is what one is looking for, then these may not be the answer. And such is the inherent difficulty in all audio equipment that one is usually buying something that has both advantages and disadvantages. We just have to realize what set of advantages and disadvantages our own ears prefer. Valhallas have taken some knocks on this forum, perhaps due to some reviewer hype when they first came out. Everybody likes to find their 'giant killers' as well.
Rob
You may be correct that the Valhalla tend towards some leanness. And the whole concept of a 'transparent' piece of equipment is ridiculous. The Valhalla's strong suit is lower bass control, clarity, detail, and speed. They really seem to drive the music with a quicker pulse. There's no sagging of the rhythm, attack, or decay. If warmth is what one is looking for, then these may not be the answer. And such is the inherent difficulty in all audio equipment that one is usually buying something that has both advantages and disadvantages. We just have to realize what set of advantages and disadvantages our own ears prefer. Valhallas have taken some knocks on this forum, perhaps due to some reviewer hype when they first came out. Everybody likes to find their 'giant killers' as well.
Rob