How much better is the Valhalla?
I’m loath to even draw comparisons between the Valhalla and the Blue Heaven or SPM, so great were the differences. While they shared a similar overall tonal balance—slightly to the light, cool, dry end of absolute neutrality—the overall feel of the Valhalla was completely different. Instead of a sense of lightning speed and slightly transparent, outlined images, the Valhallas sounded almost relaxed—but still clean and precise—and their images were dense, detailed, and dimensional. A point-by-point comparison confirmed my initial suspicion: The Valhalla built on the SPM’s strengths and went a long way toward ameliorating their shortcomings. They were every bit as fast and open as the SPM and just as extended at the frequency extremes. However, the Valhalla added a tonal density and body that the SPM was missing. The Valhalla also had a slightly warmer tonal balance, sounding a touch fuller in the upper-bass/lower-midrange region. Orchestras were more solidly anchored with the Valhalla,
