[TyTB]

Hello people,

I've noticed, in my pursuit of better audio gear, that a lot of stuff doesn't seem to be designed with constant on-off cycles in mind.

Like, for example, a Lyr+ amp from Schiit has its power switch on the back. And it takes 30 seconds or so to actually turn on, once it's turned on.

I'm trying to think of how this interfaces with a desktop computer environment. Right now, I listen to my headphones directly off a Grace SDAC.

The Grace SDAC stays powered 24/7, even when the computer is on standby. When the computer is on, it's able to output sound without delay.

I realize that with a tube amp, this won't be possible, as I'd burn through the tubes VERY quickly. But what about solid-state stuff? Even Schiit's Jotunheim 2 amp has its power switch on the back. It seems like high-end audio gear is intended for dedicated listening sessions, once a day or a few times a week, for example. Not on-and-off-and-on-and-off 10 times in a single day, every time your computer boots or goes to sleep.

Is this something I should actually take into consideration? Are there dacs and amps that are specifically meant for a computer-listening setup, or will I be fine using something like a Lyr+ and a Modius, just manually toggling the Lyr on and off every time I sit down/leave the computer? Keep in mind the modius will have to stay on 24/7, as it doesn't even HAVE a power switch.

How does buying used factor into all this? In my mind, amps and dacs should last 20+ years no problem, as they're all solid-state machines, minus the tubes, and the natural lifespan limits that exist on capacitors.

 

[psy472]

Hello people,

I've noticed, in my pursuit of better audio gear, that a lot of stuff doesn't seem to be designed with constant on-off cycles in mind.

Like, for example, a Lyr+ amp from Schiit has its power switch on the back. And it takes 30 seconds or so to actually turn on, once it's turned on.

I'm trying to think of how this interfaces with a desktop computer environment. Right now, I listen to my headphones directly off a Grace SDAC.

The Grace SDAC stays powered 24/7, even when the computer is on standby. When the computer is on, it's able to output sound without delay.

I realize that with a tube amp, this won't be possible, as I'd burn through the tubes VERY quickly. But what about solid-state stuff? Even Schiit's Jotunheim 2 amp has its power switch on the back. It seems like high-end audio gear is intended for dedicated listening sessions, once a day or a few times a week, for example. Not on-and-off-and-on-and-off 10 times in a single day, every time your computer boots or goes to sleep.

Is this something I should actually take into consideration? Are there dacs and amps that are specifically meant for a computer-listening setup, or will I be fine using something like a Lyr+ and a Modius, just manually toggling the Lyr on and off every time I sit down/leave the computer? Keep in mind the modius will have to stay on 24/7, as it doesn't even HAVE a power switch.

How does buying used factor into all this? In my mind, amps and dacs should last 20+ years no problem, as they're all solid-state machines, minus the tubes, and the natural lifespan limits that exist on capacitors.

Schiit has a 5 year warranty.

As for Lyr+ the reason it takes 30 seconds isn’t because of the amp but because of the tube. It takes time to warm up. The tube is likely your biggest issue. Each tube has a life span measured in hours of use. Once it reaches, it dies and you buy a new tube.

You’d probably better off with solid state amp because you won’t have to concern yourself with tube life. Most audiophiles do burn in. As in they let their gear stay on for weeks at a time to burn in their gear. If you are into low fi to mid fi gear, you can keep it on for as long as you want. Mainly because it’s cheap to replace them. The Schiit stuff lasts a long time but I don’t think any gear will last 20 years.

 

[Rattle]

I don't have anything against the lyr+ I have not heard it, however for "PC" audio go all balanced. You'll thank yourself later when you don't get all kind of weird interference garbage from all the electronics everywhere.

Jot 2 can be left on forever it runs barely warm, modius or bifrost 2 makes a nice stack, but BF2 and Jot 2 run barely warm when not stacked, much warmer stacked. Also the headphones you use should be a big deciding factor as well. Jot 2 can basically run anything and the SE out on it is excellent as well.

 

[psy472]

Just a hidden secret of the Jot 2. It can actually run circles around 3k+ amplifiers, but the reason not many people knows this is because of its price. So people keep feeding it low end DACs and thus making it sound low fi. Bifrost is like upper end of low fi so that’s still not enough for the Jot 2.

If you ever have the money and feed it a more expensive DAC like Yggy GS2 you’ll find a totally different amplifier.

 

[TyTB]

Just a hidden secret of the Jot 2. It can actually run circles around 3k+ amplifiers, but the reason not many people knows this is because of its price. So people keep feeding it low end DACs and thus making it sound low fi. Bifrost is like upper end of low fi so that’s still not enough for the Jot 2.

If you ever have the money and feed it a more expensive DAC like Yggy GS2 you’ll find a totally different amplifier.

If I were to go the Jotunheim route, it would only be with a Modius DAC, as that's approaching the limit of my combined DAC-amp budget.

 

[tjl5709]

Just a hidden secret of the Jot 2. It can actually run circles around 3k+ amplifiers, but the reason not many people knows this is because of its price. So people keep feeding it low end DACs and thus making it sound low fi. Bifrost is like upper end of low fi so that’s still not enough for the Jot 2.

If you ever have the money and feed it a more expensive DAC like Yggy GS2 you’ll find a totally different amplifier.

I concurr on this. I use my tower PC as my mutlimedia hub in my cave. For my HP system, the pc feeds a Yggy LIM that has it's output switched between a Jot2 (for everyday use) and my Audiovalve tube amp for high end use. The Jot2 sounds very good with my DC Ether Flow C's and Senn 900s. The yggy I never turn off, and the Jot2 is on pretty much everyday for 12+ hours. Look into a used Bifrost, and when more money comes in, upgrade it to multibit. I'm all in on Schiit's multibit platform. I love tube sound, thus the audiovlave, but the Jot2 is no slouch.

 

[psy472]

If I were to go the Jotunheim route, it would only be with a Modius DAC, as that's approaching the limit of my combined DAC-amp budget.

Then just get the Magni Unity with a multibit dac installed and make it an all-in-one and be done with it. The Unity is more tube sounding and drives everything pretty well.

 

[TyTB]

I concurr on this. I use my tower PC as my mutlimedia hub in my cave. For my HP system, the pc feeds a Yggy LIM that has it's output switched between a Jot2 (for everyday use) and my Audiovalve tube amp for high end use. The Jot2 sounds very good with my DC Ether Flow C's and Senn 900s. The yggy I never turn off, and the Jot2 is on pretty much everyday for 12+ hours. Look into a used Bifrost, and when more money comes in, upgrade it to multibit. I'm all in on Schiit's multibit platform. I love tube sound, thus the audiovlave, but the Jot2 is no slouch.

TBH a part of me is even considering buying a Ragnarok, now that it's on sale. I mean, at $1000 for a balanced headphone AND SPEAKER amp, with a dac card upgrade, it comes in at roughly the same price as a full stack. Can't seem to find much in the way of comparisons or reviews of the Ragnarok as a headphone amp, though.

Anyway, I like the Jot 2, but I am concerned by how I often hear it described as warmer, but less clear, less detailed, and with a smaller soundstage than some of the more contemporary amp offerings from Topping, SMSL, RME, etc.

Then just get the Magni Unity with a multibit dac installed and make it an all-in-one and be done with it. The Unity is more tube sounding and drives everything pretty well.

I prefer to use standalone DAC's, as the consensus in both measurements and community listening/feedback is that they greatly exceed schiit's internal add-on cards.

 

[tjl5709]

TBH a part of me is even considering buying a Ragnarok, now that it's on sale. I mean, at $1000 for a balanced headphone AND SPEAKER amp, with a dac card upgrade, it comes in at roughly the same price as a full stack. Can't seem to find much in the way of comparisons or reviews of the Ragnarok as a headphone amp, though.

Anyway, I like the Jot 2, but I am concerned by how I often hear it described as warmer, but less clear, less detailed, and with a smaller soundstage than some of the more contemporary amp offerings from Topping, SMSL, RME, etc.



I prefer to use standalone DAC's, as the consensus in both measurements and community listening/feedback is that they greatly exceed schiit's internal add-on cards.

I have herd nothing but good things on the RAG2. It will drive anything you throw at it except eSTATS. I forgot it was on sale. It's a steel. Throw the DAC chip in it and your good till you find away to a stand alone DAC. I will just throw this in. I did not understand how critical a DAC actually is in a chain. When I moved from an old Bifrost /Lyr2 stack to the Gungnir MB / MJ2 it was a revelation. Yes the Lyr2 to MJ2 was good for better top end and bottom end with wonderful tube sound, but the clarity and resolution brought by the GMB DAC was eye openning. It completly changed the way I look at DAC's, and it changed the way I felt about digital audio. I moved to CD's when they came out. (Yes, I'm that old...) and I always knew they were missing something. That analog sound. I ripped my library to FLAC years ago. The convienance over road it's "digital" sound. That changed when I moved up to Gungnir. I no longer miss my vinyl. I bought in to it so much I moved up to Yggy. I have no regrets or interest in resurecting my turn table.

 

[TyTB]

I have herd nothing but good things on the RAG2. It will drive anything you throw at it except eSTATS. I forgot it was on sale. It's a steel. Throw the DAC chip in it and your good till you find away to a stand alone DAC. I will just throw this in. I did not understand how critical a DAC actually is in a chain. When I moved from an old Bifrost /Lyr2 stack to the Gungnir MB / MJ2 it was a revelation. Yes the Lyr2 to MJ2 was good for better top end and bottom end with wonderful tube sound, but the clarity and resolution brought by the GMB DAC was eye openning. It completly changed the way I look at DAC's, and it changed the way I felt about digital audio. I moved to CD's when they came out. (Yes, I'm that old...) and I always knew they were missing something. That analog sound. I ripped my library to FLAC years ago. The convienance over road it's "digital" sound. That changed when I moved up to Gungnir. I no longer miss my vinyl. I bought in to it so much I moved up to Yggy. I have no regrets or interest in resurecting my turn table.

For me, going the route of using the Rag 2 would mean I don't buy a separate DAC at all for the foreseeable future, as the Rag 2 and its DAC card are already more than my budget.

 

[superultramega]

My 2 €:
-Rag 2 is really big and I didn’t like it for speakers.
-Magni w/ DAC card is under $200. Try this and go for broke with headphones.