[Rossliew]

I would probably say the Rag is more neutral sounding, kinda similar to the GSX Mk II as DubStep Girl reviews it. Did A2A have the GSX on audition? You should try that as well.

But, if the flexibility of having a speaker amp to drive your 2 channel setup is top of your priorities then stop mulling, just get the Rag.

 

[UntilThen]

They do have the GSX Mk II but I didn't want to listen to it. I know it's a 'brighter' tone but very revealing. I also know it's more than double the price of Ragnarok. So I rather not hear it....

Problem is 2 channel setup isn't my priority. I listen to headphones much more.

Here's a story worth telling. I first listened to the Violectric v281 in the Sydney 2016 meet. The owner brought just that one dac/amp. Yes with the v281, you can have the option of including dac for a price. Furthermore, he brought a whole Christmas tree of headphones. More than 20 headphones. I was puzzled. So I ask him what's this fetish with so many headphones. Well he explained that he has found the one amp that will drive any headphones, bar electrostatics. So he just keep buying headphones as time goes on. He loves listening to different headphone on his 'one' amp.

That meet, I listened to his balance Beyer T1, Gen1 on the v281. Sounded a bit like tube amp and I like it very much.

Btw if you listen to v281 in SE mode, you are only using half the amp. There are 2 transformers and both operate together in balance mode.

 

[UntilThen]

I know why I want an ss amp to go with my tube amp. I power on my Euforia at least 4 times in a day. If I do this over 2 years, there probably wouldn't be a switch left.

 

[Rossliew]

Lol..it sure does look like the V281 would make a better SS headamp for you but if you need the versatility for speakers then the Rag is the way to go. Or else just get a pair of Vidars and use the Euforia as pre-amp and drive your HD800 off the speaker taps..

 

[mordy]

I know why I want an ss amp to go with my tube amp. I power on my Euforia at least 4 times in a day. If I do this over 2 years, there probably wouldn't be a switch left.

Hi UT,

Here is the answer to saving the on/off switch:

Just leave your amp switch on, and use the red on/off switch on the power outlet strip. I believe that some wall outlets in Australia even have their own on/off switch built in.

Hi Rl,
I just sold a ss phono preamp that I hadn't used in years. It does not have an on/off switch, and I realized that it had been plugged in for some 20 years (!) without any problems. The power draw is only 5W, so it did not cost much in electricity either.....

 

[UntilThen]

Hi UT,

Here is the answer to saving the on/off switch:

Personally I believe that one ought to power off the amp first before switching off the power board or wall unit. However, that's my layman's brain thinking.

 

[UntilThen]

I am nursing a delicious viral infection at the moment. Felt sick like a bird. With one week to go before I decide on an ss amp, this monster has entered the fray. At 16kgs and cheaper than both Violectric v281 and Ragnarok, this beast is build like an aircraft carrier. The technological might from KingWa. However, being class A, it will make my study too warm, even for winter.

.... and I will be more sick.... contemplating another amp lol. This thing cost $200 for shipping by DHL from China.

My only reservation is that, revealing as the amp is, it might be too neutral bright for my ears. Comparisons have been made with GSX MkII for similar tonality.

 

[UntilThen]

Lol..it sure does look like the V281 would make a better SS headamp for you but if you need the versatility for speakers then the Rag is the way to go. Or else just get a pair of Vidars and use the Euforia as pre-amp and drive your HD800 off the speaker taps..

Did you not hear what I say? I'm deliciously sick at the moment. Bringing Vidars into the discussion might just tip the scale and trigger a global war.

I know I should have kept my JDS Lab o2/odac. It's cheap, painless. Who cares if your violins sounds like chainsaw? Ok... might be a bit harsh here lol.

 

[Spork67]

Hey UT.
My Stax setup is only midrange stuff, and slams well enough for me.

If you buy Blue Hawaii and Stax SR-007 and let me have it for a month playing Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Uriah Heep and Metallica .... then I will let you know if it has meatballs.

The only song I heard on the Stax is 'Pink Panther'....

Plenty of Led Zep and Metallica in my playlists, and a little Deep Purple. My T1 + 404LE work well with rock and metal.

I see you mentioned Bitcoin earlier. Are you interested in cryptocurrencies? Or was that just a play on words for money spent on converting (digital) bits to analogue?

I'm hoping some modest investments in BTC will buy me a BHSE + 007s one of these days.

 

[UntilThen]

Hey UT.
My Stax setup is only midrange stuff, and slams well enough for me.



Plenty of Led Zep and Metallica in my playlists, and a little Deep Purple. My T1 + 404LE work well with rock and metal.

I see you mentioned Bitcoin earlier. Are you interested in cryptocurrencies? Or was that just a play on words for money spent on converting (digital) bits to analogue?

I'm hoping some modest investments in BTC will buy me a BHSE + 007s one of these days.

Play of words. You obviously love Stax and there's a good following. I don't deny that it will play other genres as well but imo it's not their strength.

For pure impact and slam, it's hard to beat dynamic headphones though. What I heard at A2A, with Yggy > v281 > balanced HD800, had my adrenaline going. Never heard the HD800 scale that way. Now I need a bass hungry planar magnetic to stir my senses.

I think it's all coming together. I don't envisage buying Audio Gd 9, without an audition. Reviews have painted it as a TOTL amp. Perhaps but I can't imagine that sitting on my desk with Yggy. There will be no space left. This is a picture of the Audio Gd 5 series dac and amp. You can see how big they are. Massive !!! Yup I heard these at a meet in 2016 but the Series 5 is supposed to be lean and it feels that way. However with HD800S in balanced mode on, it turns into a musical machine. The 9 is different tonally. It's supposed to be more full bodied.

 

[UntilThen]

A guy on the v281 thread had the V850/V281 combo. He likes it but yearns for a tube amp as he never has one.

Well here I am, a tube amp lover, looking for an ss amp. We could be trading places. It's a strange strange world.

I agree with @MIKELAP . Good to have both flavours.

 

[UntilThen]

But, if the flexibility of having a speaker amp to drive your 2 channel setup is top of your priorities then stop mulling, just get the Rag.

Ross I have the Sherwood and powerbloc Denon receivers for driving my speakers. The Denon has real grunt. It will drive a truck. So yeah, getting an amp to drive speakers is not a priority now.

You would have seen me introducing Yggy as dac and Euforia as preamp to my speakers and sub. Very very enjoyable.

If I get v281, I could use it for preamp duties too. Of course I'd be curious to see how Raganork stacks up against my Sherwood of Nottingham Forest in the sonics department.

What I don't understand is why Ragnarok is so expensive from A2A. It's US$1699 in Schiit USA online order but at A2A, it's AUD$2950. How does that exchange rate works? Someone is marking up Rag big time here.

 

[Rossliew]

It's the shipping cost and customs taxes and profits added on top? But can you order direct from schiit?

 

[UntilThen]

Buying from A2A means everything is inclusive. You don't need to pay shipping, custom taxes and when the unit is defective, just take it back to them for warranty repairs. I think it's then that I have to pay shipping but A2A will co-ordinate everything.

I can order direct from Schiit but I have to pay for shipping and custom taxes and hope that your gear survive the journey intact.

Pros and cons but I rather deal with a store where I've build a rapport with the sales staff. You can try any gear you want without charge.

I think it's the Rag's weight that adds to the shipping cost and who knows how much custom taxes I'll be slugged with. If I buy Audio Gd 9, shipping will be US$200 by DHL. Just pray that you don't have to send it back for repairs.

 

[Rossliew]

I've had no issues with shipping from schiit save for the customs taxes I've always been imposed. The amp is packed pretty sturdily so I wouldn't be worried about that. I've even shipped it back for repairs once with a dead Vali2 on arrival but schiit have paid the return shipping plus taxes . So it's been a pleasant experience dealing with them.