Short answer
Both are desktop amplifiers, both at $149.
On raw power they are level: each reaches 100 dB on 567 of the 567 non-electrostatic models here.
| Specification | Schiit Vali 2+ | Schiit Vali 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Power into 32Ω | 1.5 W | 1.5 W |
| Power into 150Ω | 496 mW | 496 mW |
| Power into 300Ω | 400 mW | 400 mW |
| Power into 600Ω | 200 mW | 200 mW |
| Output impedance | 1.8 Ω | 0.5 Ω |
| Output noise | 25 µV unverified | 2.83 µV |
| Price | $149 | $149 |
| Headphones it reaches 100 dB on out of 567 | 567 | 567 |
| Load | Schiit Vali 2+ | Schiit Vali 3 |
|---|---|---|
| 32 Ω | Published | Published |
| 150 Ω | Derived | Derived |
| 300 Ω | Published | Published |
| 600 Ω | Published | Published |
Both makers publish a power rating. Schiit Vali 2+ publishes at 32 Ω, at 300 Ω and at 600 Ω; Schiit Vali 3 at 32 Ω, at 300 Ω and at 600 Ω. The other rows are worked out from those.
The two publish at the same loads, which is the one case where the rows of this table can be read straight across.
On power they are interchangeable across this whole database: there is no headphone here that one reaches 100 dB on and the other does not.
71 headphones are left alone by the Schiit Vali 3 under the one-eighth rule but coloured by the Schiit Vali 2+ (64 Audio Aspire 1, 64 Audio Fourte, 64 Audio Nio, 68 more).
567 of the 567 models here reach 100 dB on both.
Headroom is at a 100 dB SPL peak.
Across all eight the two stay within half a decibel of each other, which is a way of saying that on power this pair is one product.
The hiss columns are empty for Schiit Vali 2+ because that maker publishes no output noise figure.
| Headphone | Impedance | Needs | Schiit Vali 2+ headroom | Schiit Vali 3 headroom | Schiit Vali 2+ hiss | Schiit Vali 3 hiss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shure SE846 | 9 Ω | 0.04 mW | +40 dB damping | +40 dB | not published | 23 dB |
| Campfire Audio Andromeda 2020 | 9 Ω | 4.0 mW | +20 dB damping | +20 dB | not published | 3 dB |
| Audeze LCD-2 Classic | 70 Ω | 0.79 mW | +30 dB | +30 dB | not published | 2 dB |
| Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro (250Ω) | 250 Ω | 0.63 mW | +28 dB | +28 dB | not published | -3 dB |
| HiFiMAN HE400se | 25 Ω | 7.9 mW | +22 dB | +22 dB | not published | -4 dB |
| Audio-Technica ATH-R70X | 470 Ω | 1.6 mW | +22 dB | +22 dB | not published | -10 dB |
| Sennheiser HD 600 | 300 Ω | 6.6 mW | +18 dB | +18 dB | not published | -14 dB |
| HiFiMAN Susvara | 60 Ω | 50 mW | +12 dB | +12 dB | not published | -16 dB |
These two cost the same, $149, so price settles nothing. Out of the 567 models here, the Schiit Vali 3 leaves 71 models alone under the one-eighth rule — and on the other side there is no such advantage at all.
Only published figures count here; blank axes are counted separately.
Each in full: Schiit Vali 2+ and Schiit Vali 3.