[rrahman]

  For a $1500 amp geared mainly towards desktop headphones listening, I wouldn't expect a remote control feature to be included. If there's anything to facepalm about, it's that you expected otherwise. Hell, even my speaker amp doesn't have remote control feature, but it's not a high end one. For mainly desktop headphone listeners (majority of head-fiers and Schiit prospect customers), that feature would be useless, and will probably bump the price up at least $200. To that I say nay. Keep things simple and free of (expensive) bells and whistles. Schiit's target demographic has never been speaker listeners, and that hasn't exactly been made unclear at all.

I agree and don't judge them for not including it. That being said...
 
I also wish it had a remote lol.  I'd easily pay 200 or more for an included remote or at least something that could pair w/ my universal remote.

 

[Jason Stoddard]

With respect:
 
1. No black.
2. No remote.
3. No date on a hybrid version, perhaps never.
 
Why?
 
1. This is very low production, no need to segment it further with colors which may/may not work. Plus, black was pretty slow last time we had it, for all the furore.
 
2. Ragnarok's volume control works differently from any other volume control out there--in that it actually acts like a volume control, with hard stops at bottom and top. It is not an endlessly spinning encoder. So, if you had the remote override the volume pot positional sensor, what happens when you grab the volume knob again? Does it instantly change to the volume knob setting, where bad things can happen if, say, it's all the way up? It's not a remote-friendly design.
 
3. We need to get this one right and shipping before we talk about anything else. And we're still trying to figure out if a hybrid version of this design even makes sense--things changed dramatically when we went to a fully managed amplifier.
 
If these limitations make Ragnarok a product that doesn't meet your needs, I understand. 

 

[estreeter]

  ..
 
If these limitations make Ragnarok a product that doesn't meet your needs, I understand.

 
And that's the kind of straight-talking that so many of us relate to, even those of us who are frustrated by the delays - Jason, you just sold yourself an amplifier.

 

[estreeter]

   
No need to get snippy.
 
.............
 
As to the sound reasoning, I'm sure it makes sense for him. For me the lack of a remote makes this amp a desktop amp, for the computer generation. Which is OK, that's Schiit's audience anyway. If they can spend $500 for an iPhone that lasts them two years, they sure as hell can spend $1500 on an amplifier to last them 20 years.

 
 
Sounds to me like he wasnt the only one inclined to get a little snippy - I'm sorry, but that last para reeks of elitism. Even though I *do* want to run speaker cables from the back of this amp, I'm prepared to sit it on my desktop, even in Malaysia's tropical heat : if it proves unworkable, I'll have to look at other options.  Seeing pics of audiophiles with marine batteries and other oddities in their living rooms, I've learnt not to sweat the small stuff.
 
If Head-Fiers are prepared to live with something like the Abyss purely for the sonics, surely we can deal with the fact that Schiit wont be shipping this amp with a remote ?  

 

[Anavel0]

And that's the kind of straight-talking that so many of us relate to, even those of us who are frustrated by the delays - Jason, you just sold yourself an amplifier.

Same here! I was on the fence, but not now. Sign me up for a Ragnarok.

 

[NZheadcase]

   
If Head-Fiers are prepared to live with something like the Abyss purely for the sonics, surely we can deal with the fact that Schiit wont be shipping this amp with a remote ?  

 
+1 
 
Absolutely agree.

 

[NZheadcase]

 

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

  With respect:
 
1. No black.
2. No remote.
3. No date on a hybrid version, perhaps never.
 
Why?
 
1. This is very low production, no need to segment it further with colors which may/may not work. Plus, black was pretty slow last time we had it, for all the furore.
 
2. Ragnarok's volume control works differently from any other volume control out there--in that it actually acts like a volume control, with hard stops at bottom and top. It is not an endlessly spinning encoder. So, if you had the remote override the volume pot positional sensor, what happens when you grab the volume knob again? Does it instantly change to the volume knob setting, where bad things can happen if, say, it's all the way up? It's not a remote-friendly design.
 
3. We need to get this one right and shipping before we talk about anything else. And we're still trying to figure out if a hybrid version of this design even makes sense--things changed dramatically when we went to a fully managed amplifier.
 
If these limitations make Ragnarok a product that doesn't meet your needs, I understand. 

 

 

 
Thanks for the explanations, Jason. 

 

[drez]

Thanks for the explanations, Jason. 

+1

If rag is good enough, people will make it work in their setup, myself included.

 

[1adam12]

+1

If rag is good enough, people will make it work in their setup, myself included.

 
You'll be damned sure I'm gonna try to make the Rag work...

 

[Poladise]

This thread is becoming comical.

 

[wnmnkh]

  With respect:
 
1. No black.
2. No remote.
3. No date on a hybrid version, perhaps never.
 
Why?
 
1. This is very low production, no need to segment it further with colors which may/may not work. Plus, black was pretty slow last time we had it, for all the furore.
 
2. Ragnarok's volume control works differently from any other volume control out there--in that it actually acts like a volume control, with hard stops at bottom and top. It is not an endlessly spinning encoder. So, if you had the remote override the volume pot positional sensor, what happens when you grab the volume knob again? Does it instantly change to the volume knob setting, where bad things can happen if, say, it's all the way up? It's not a remote-friendly design.
 
3. We need to get this one right and shipping before we talk about anything else. And we're still trying to figure out if a hybrid version of this design even makes sense--things changed dramatically when we went to a fully managed amplifier.
 
If these limitations make Ragnarok a product that doesn't meet your needs, I understand. 

 
Thank you for the response. I am patiently waiting for Rag.
 
Speaking of 'hybird' version. Based on your current amp lineup, currently you guys do not have a tube amplifier that matches Mjolnir. To be honest, you guys already have a lot of models available for amplifiers.... But a good tube amp with Mjolnir body would be good.

 

[vincent215]

   
Thank you for the response. I am patiently waiting for Rag.
 
Speaking of 'hybird' version. Based on your current amp lineup, currently you guys do not have a tube amplifier that matches Mjolnir. To be honest, you guys already have a lot of models available for amplifiers.... But a good tube amp with Mjolnir body would be good.

And single ended with it please!
I want the Ragnarok but $1500 is a big investment for me. $700 is still big but it is still only half the price of statement amp.

 

[Audio_newb]

Even though the design might be more conducive, is it fair to assume that for simplicity's sake, Yggdrasil won't be getting a remote either?  As beautiful as they both are, they're kind of beastly and it would be nice to tuck it away.  Especially as I have a sneaking suspicion that Mr. Yggs will be making it to the main rig in the house.

 

[eugenius]

Come on, you can build resistor attenuators with remote control. Yes, it's harder and more complex than turning a knob but not impossible. Depending on parts, it might even be more than $200, but essentially point 2 is saying it doesn't have it because ... it just doesn't have it. You have to turn it and when you hit zero, it doesn't budge!! Schiiit!!!
 
I can understand the price reasoning though ... at 1800$ the amp is a harder sell than at 1500$ and the value for money becomes less apparent. And as I said before, if your target audience is mostly computer users, they can solve that easily with software and use the volume control to set the maximum volume.

 

[paradoxper]

I don't understand why you can't just let it go. Pretty much from the get go Jason said they weren't for remotes or displays.