[drez]

I like the sound of this, can anyone explain it any further?:
 
"microprocessor control of quiescent current and DC levels"

 

[catspaw]

Quote:

 
And the nice thing about Schiit is that they've got quite a few cheaper products as well; it's not like $1500 is their entry-level amp or DAC.

I know, i Know. Its just that when i see this i get that strange feeling like im falling in love, and i must resist! .
 
I already got the asgard so im just missing a DAC, but i got no idea on anything DAC related, so for me its more the reputation that says that this is far better than the Bifrost, or the Gungnir .

 

[grokit]

Quote:

I like the sound of this, can anyone explain it any further?:
 
"microprocessor control of quiescent current and DC levels"

 
That means it has a brain

 

[mwindham08]

Braaaiiinnnsss....

 

[Chris J]

Knowing the audio pedgirees of the guys from Schiit (Jason/Mike). It's hard not to be exicted about this. They're not some random cable makers who suddently decided to drop a $1500 amp on us. These guys have been plotting the statement products for sometime and given their past performance, it's likely they'll hit their mark as Happy Camper says above and give us a very strong performer at the price again.

"Some random cable makers who suddenly decided to drop a $1500 amp on us"

LMAO!

 

[spritzer]

Quote:

I like the sound of this, can anyone explain it any further?:
 
"microprocessor control of quiescent current and DC levels"

 
The DC level is the DC offset that needs to be kept in check or it will fry your dynamic headphones.  Many amps use an opamp based servo to keep the offset in check as it tracks the output.  This is the same except more fancy as it can track more things at the same time and cut off the output should the offset get out of control. 
 
The current is the current through the output stage.  Many manufacturers have done this in the past such as Krell with their "sustained plateau bias" so the amp can decrease or increase the current running through the output stage depending on what it going on.  If the load is not a problem then more current can be pushed through without overloading the heatsinks.  More current is always better. 

 

[HeyWaj10]

Quote:

 
And the nice thing about Schiit is that they've got quite a few cheaper products as well; it's not like $1500 is their entry-level amp or DAC.

 
And also remember the other nice thing about Schiit: as this statement gear is released, that statement technology is going to (probably) quickly trickle down into their more affordable-bracket gear.  This is why I may very well be upgrading to the Gungnir later this year.  Just as I get to a point where I really settle in on Gungnir's sound, Schiit might be right around the corner from releasing an upgraded DAC board or analog output board for the Gungnir using some of the statement technology.
 
This is what really makes buying into Schiit such an exciting venture...there's always going to be something to look forward to.  A lot of other companies just make minor tweaks to their gear and market it to be something better.  Schiit is very much about innovation and pushing that price-to-performance boundary.  I have a feeling I will always have a piece of Schiit in my system, for as long as I'm in this audio game

 

[catspaw]

Yggdrasil.... kinda like the starcraft broodwar overlord hero...

 

[eugenius]

Quiescent current is idle current. The microprocessor lowers it to keep from frying an egg on the heat sink case when nothing's playing.

If you're reasonable with your speaker choice (real 95dB and up) you can use it at 100dB levels with reasonable headroom for peaks.
But if you have that kind of speakers you already have some tubes laying around.

Yggdrasil could be way more interesting than Ragnarok IMO. If the REDACTED stuff means programmable filters and proprietary multibit dac's, it's GREAT value. If.

Still, the real Schiit is the Asgard2. Hats off for that one. Needs a black version.

 

[Chris J]

The DC level is the DC offset that needs to be kept in check or it will fry your dynamic headphones.  Many amps use an opamp based servo to keep the offset in check as it tracks the output.  This is the same except more fancy as it can track more things at the same time and cut off the output should the offset get out of control. 

The current is the current through the output stage.  Many manufacturers have done this in the past such as Krell with their "sustained plateau bias" so the amp can decrease or increase the current running through the output stage depending on what it going on.  If the load is not a problem then more current can be pushed through without overloading the heatsinks.  More current is always better. 

More quiescent ain't always better.
Read one of Douglas Self's book on power amplifier design.
The short version of the answer to the question what is optimum quiescent current is...........it depends. Normally quiescent current is adjusted to reduce THD, etc, etc.
Really it's a complicated subject.

 

[wink]

Quote:Chris J

Really it's a complicated subject.

There's the problem.
 
The stuff that's not simple is always complicated.
 
I simply can't explain that.......

 

[Chris J]

There's the problem.

The stuff that's not simple is always complicated.

I simply can't explain that.......

If it wasn't complicated , then you could explain it simply!
That's why it's called complicated!
Simple, right?

This is the dumbest post I have ever written. It should go into the Head Fi "dumbest posts" Hall Of Fame.
Hmmmmm, maybe most of my posts should.....

 

[wink]

Join the club.....

 

[paradoxper]

Quote:

Of course, Douglas Self doesn't really know amplifier design. Third iteration 120W Class XD <<< First try 60W Circlotron. You also don't get better bass with a 225W amplifier compared to a 60W amplifier.

I agree, it does look like value if you read it as an ultra headphone amp with speaker amp function. I mean, I paid 1500€ for a Blockhead and 700€ for a CEC HD53N so 1250€ (though you just know it's going to cost over 1500€ in Europe) does look OK if you read it like that.

You just really have to care a lot about your headphone amplifier. And it has to convince Blockhead, Beta22 and Balanced Dynahi owners to sell their amplifiers before that value is is apparent.

I look forward to being the a$h0le who tells the Balanced Dynahi seller this:
You just upgraded to the Ragnarok didn't you? Go stand on your head in the corner for 20 minutes, as a punishment from Kevin Gilmore!

PS: If REDACTED means thermally stabilized proprietary multibit, you are the Schiit!

I've not discredited Self's designs, I'm simply not declaring either the better piece of gear. That is, not until I've heard the Rag.
 
Automatically assuming the Schiit gear would lose is ignorant, if you're not ignoring Jason and team's experience and prior offering's. That's all I'm saying.

 

[fishski13]

Quote:

More quiescent ain't always better.
Read one of Douglas Self's book on power amplifier design.
The short version of the answer to the question what is optimum quiescent current is...........it depends. Normally quiescent current is adjusted to reduce THD, etc, etc.
Really it's a complicated subject.

 
Nelson Pass would agree with this.