[buson160man]

 
Hey Buson160 -
 
I think there might be an issue with Rag as a preamp - depending on which outputs are used to feed the amp. Remember Rag is fully balanced, which means no channel comingling. So for the SE headphone jack, Schiit inserts a "summer" circuit before the jack. As quite a few people on this thread can testify, this translates to a noticeable drop in sound quality when going from balanced to SE with phones. I call it "the summer of our discontent."
 
Here's the thing - I believe the same "summer" is used in front of the RCA outs. Jason can correct me if I'm mistaken. If so, I have no reason to doubt that a comparable deleterious effect on SQ would be heard when using the RCAs to feed an amp which has only RCA inputs. I believe, and again just going from memory, that a few people have used Rag as pre and been underwhelmed. The solution would be to use Rag's balanced outs to an amp with balanced ins - I'm not sure balanced-to-RCA adapters could be used without tripping the Rag's protection circuitry.
 
There's also cautions in the manual (quickly downloadable at the Schiit site) about using the Rag with any speakers where the two communicate with each other. Peruse that  or email Schiit direct.
 
I use the RCA outs to feed the subwoofer, which works fine. 

Actually I really only intended to use the ragnarok as strictly a balanced preamp to my active powered monitors(emotiva stealth 8s) Which can only be used in balanced fashion. But after reading your comments about the summer for single ended headphones that kind of puts me off.
   Seeing that I only have single ended headphones that would put the kabosh on my trying it.
   Looks to me that the grace 905 analog monitor controller is the correct path to take. Thank you for the input. I do not intend to use the preamp as a headphone amp. My preferred headphone amp is a recapped vintage concept monster receiver the 16.5. The concept is a real beast with its dual mono power supply with two large frame transformers one for each channel. You should hear this beast driving my lcd2s the grip and power it provides my lcd2s is quite unique. I have never heard any high end dedicated headphone amp regardless of price that has the grip that the concept has on the lcd2. The concept receiver uses two 7 amp fuses now that is a lot of current..
   It should be interesting to hear what the grace m 905 sounds like on headphones though that is not my intent for its use which is strictly as a preamp for my emotiva stealth 8 monitors.

 

[kazsud]

Actually I really only intended to use the ragnarok as strictly a balanced preamp to my active powered monitors(emotiva stealth 8s) Which can only be used in balanced fashion. But after reading your comments about the summer for single ended headphones that kind of puts me off.
   Seeing that I only have single ended headphones that would put the kabosh on my trying it.
   Looks to me that the grace 905 analog monitor controller is the correct path to take. Thank you for the input. I do not intend to use the preamp as a headphone amp. My preferred headphone amp is a recapped vintage concept monster receiver the 16.5. The concept is a real beast with its dual mono power supply with two large frame transformers one for each channel. You should hear this beast driving my lcd2s the grip and power it provides my lcd2s is quite unique. I have never heard any high end dedicated headphone amp regardless of price that has the grip that the concept has on the lcd2. The concept receiver uses two 7 amp fuses now that is a lot of current..
   It should be interesting to hear what the grace m 905 sounds like on headphones though that is not my intent for its use which is strictly as a preamp for my emotiva stealth 8 monitors.

Just get one custom adapter to use with all your headphones. You would want to go balanced with that amp anyway.

 

[7ryder]

  Actually I really only intended to use the ragnarok as strictly a balanced preamp to my active powered monitors(emotiva stealth 8s) Which can only be used in balanced fashion. But after reading your comments about the summer for single ended headphones that kind of puts me off.
   Seeing that I only have single ended headphones that would put the kabosh on my trying it.
   Looks to me that the grace 905 analog monitor controller is the correct path to take. 
   It should be interesting to hear what the grace m 905 sounds like on headphones though that is not my intent for its use which is strictly as a preamp for my emotiva stealth 8 monitors.

While both versions (digital and analog) look nice - and it's your money - it looks like the m905 is overkill if all you're looking for is a preamp with balanced outputs. Given you like Emotiva, have you thought about the XSP-1?  about $1400 cheaper than the analog version of the m905

 

[buson160man]

  While both versions (digital and analog) look nice - and it's your money - it looks like the m905 is overkill if all you're looking for is a preamp with balanced outputs. Given you like Emotiva, have you thought about the XSP-1?  about $1400 cheaper than the analog version of the m905

 I like the emotiva active monitors I have had good experiences with them. I have now had three of them . I used to have a pair of airmotiv 6s but I sold them and moved up to the stealth 8s.
I am looking for something that sounds  better than my old audio research ls2 I doubt the emotiva xsp-1 would fit the bill. I want something that I know is better.

 

[Baldr]

The update on Yggy status as of Friday, Mar 20,  – here is a brief description of past and remaining Yggy production:
 
1. Kits consisting of a circuitboard and all parts are dispatched to our PCB assembly house. For an Yggy, that means 5 different kits, with one of the kits being double sized, with two boards per Yggy.
Since there are nearly 1000 parts per Yggy, this is a big job.
 
2. The assy house inventories the kits, and when complete, sends them off to be built.
 
3. The assembly house builds first articles of all new boards for us to approve. Since all Yggy boards are new, all we have the first article step.
 
4. The first articles are approved, setting in motion the mass build.
 
5. The production (mass) build boards are delivered to Schiit.
 
6. Schiit tests the arriving boards.
 
7. When all boards have returned from the assy house, Schiit assembles them into finished Yggys.
 
8. We burn the Yggys in for a couple of days.
 
9. We final test, box, and ship them.
 
We are now on step 3 and 4 of production. To be more specific, we have received three of the boards (out of 6) for first article approval. We will have the last three first article boards delivered by Monday and approved by Tuesday. Since there are 6 different boards, and our assembly house has three surface mount lines devoted to us, it means that we should have all boards into our house in the next 9-10 working days. At that point we begin testing, final assembling, burning-in to avoid crib death of parts, and finally shipping them.
 
We have a couple of issues that will have some impact on delivery, neither of which is a show stopper.
We are short 1 part – the assembly house will be leaving some of them out of two of the boards. The first run is supposed to be 250 but it is going to end up 110-140 with the short parts showing up the third week of April.
 
The other is Windoze drivers. We need to experiment with the best way to off-load old/on load new or experimental drivers in a reproducible manner. We also need to verify that new drivers are even necessary. Generally speaking, Windoze drivers are quirky and unreliable, period. This will only affect Windoze pilgrims using USB. Mac and Linux USB users will be unaffected and unpunished.
 
Thanks to all for waiting – we are still in that portion of production where we are dependent on our assy house.

 

[blitzxgene]

^Tis an early birthday gift! Made of words!

 

[zabzaf]

  ^Tis an early birthday gift! Made of words!

You sure took to Yggy at the A2 meet. I can still picture you under the table fiddling with Yggy, me with my LCD-3s plugged in wondering where the music was. Turned out Yggy and Rags were powered off...

 

[bearFNF]

  The update on Yggy status as of Friday, Mar 20,  – here is a brief description of past and remaining Yggy production:
 
 

At which step is the website updated to accept orders?

 

 

 
You sure took to Yggy at the A2 meet. I can still picture you under the table fiddling with Yggy, me with my LCD-3s plugged in wondering where the music was. Turned out Yggy and Rags were powered off...

Should we even ask why he was under the table with the Yggy?? Sound like they should have gotten a room...

 

[nicolo]

He was just doing the icky with the Yggy. A bit of low down fun's never hurt anyone

 

[estreeter]

 
There's a post in the Rag thread of it powering $40K (5 foot tall) speakers.

 
And are the speakers in question active speakers, with their own amps, requiring only a pre-amp or monitor controller ? 

 

[Yoga]

   
And are the speakers in question active speakers, with their own amps, requiring only a pre-amp or monitor controller ? 

 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/731221/schiit-ragnarok-amplifier/120#post_11020107

 

[estreeter]

   
http://www.head-fi.org/t/731221/schiit-ragnarok-amplifier/120#post_11020107

 
Great - the Rag drives a pair of 87db speakers rated nominally at 6 ohms - the cost of the speaker enclosures and the sticker price are less important than the impedance curve. but that has nothing to do with the earlier request. The power amps in the Emotiva speakers - two per speaker - are rated at 200W each (presumably into 8 ohms), considerably higher than the Rag, at least on paper, but again that's irrelevant when we're talking about a pre for active speakers. 

 

[Yoga]

   
Great - the Rag drives a pair of 87db speakers rated nominally at 6 ohms - the cost of the speaker enclosures and the sticker price are less important than the impedance curve. but that has nothing to do with the earlier request. The power amps in the Emotiva speakers - two per speaker - are rated at 200W each (presumably into 8 ohms), considerably higher than the Rag, at least on paper, but again that's irrelevant when we're talking about a pre for active speakers. 

I might be reading into yout language incorrectly (it's a forum, after all), but you 'sound' impatient.
 
It was merely a pointer to some feedback/comments regarding the Rag + speakers. It was more to do with the impressions, rather than the figures. Often times in public forums it's useful to share something that is helpful beyond the immediate response. Others may not have seen it.
 
Regardless, you've answered your own question.

 

[reddog]

Hmmm. I should get a new computer, but what should I get. Should I go for an Apple or should I punish myself and get a pc. I want a system that will easily work with the Yggdrasil.

 

[SoupRKnowva]

Hmmm. I should get a new computer, but what should I get. Should I go for an Apple or should I punish myself and get a pc. I want a system that will easily work with the Yggdrasil.

is it only for audio? just get a raspberry pi 2 instead control it from your phone