[dmckean44]

I had asked several months back about a headphone amp using the Freya tube types and I'm pretty sure I was told that while those tube types were fine for use in preamp to power amp scenarios with speakers they were not quiet enough for use with headphones.

I doubt that, my phono stage uses 6SL7s (sister tube to the 6SN7) and is plenty quiet. You could definately use them in a headphone amp.

 

[FrivolsListener]

I believe he's referring to my post.

Without directly going there, yes. There may be something like that in the works. Or there may not be. We don't know.

I doubt the final product, if there is one, would be called the Magni3, though, because they seem to be trying to keep the Magni/Modi entry point price down at $99 each to get people addicted. (Worked for me!)

 

[JohnnyCanuck]

SET? Whazzat?

SET = Single Ended Triode

JC

 

[FrivolsListener]

SET = Single Ended Triode

JC

Ahhh, no. What I was trying to figure out what people were raving about when they said, OTL. My reaction was *blink* *blink* aren't they *all* OTL right now?

 

[Pandahead]

Does anyone have experience with Q Acoustics? They're a British speaker brand and seem in line with the functional, maximum sound per dollar perspective so familiar to this thread. I'm new to two channel, but was looking at their concept 40 with great interest.

Separately, are banana plugs the preferred connectors in the two channel realm? Are there costs and benefits to them?

Thanks ~

I cast my vote in general for bananas. Unless you are in a tight spot or need to approach the connection from an acute angle. Once you tinker with them to ensure a snug fit, and usually you do have to, it's easy to do the occasional unplug and replug to reset the connection. Like when you're doing a little cleaning and you think, "which decade did I last refresh this connection?" It's a snap. Quick and easy to move a speaker or even get the cable out of the way. A little DeoxIT is nice occasionally with everything. The thing with a tinned wire is it's so malleable tightening can be a challenge. It may seem just snug but then loosen a bit. Spades are better but sometimes can be temperamental to tighten and given movement in the right direction loosen themselves. It's like every binding post has it's idiosyncrasies in clamping. It's not air tight anyway. I have all these type connections in use, bananas are more practical for me. Only my 2¢ Just don't give any to Mike's gorilla.

 

[captkirk]

What can Jason do? He added the gain in v2. It's already a preamp. He's ruled out rag with tubes vehemently, I might almost say explosively. He sees otl balanced as stupid. Saga freia tubes are too loud. Good luck stuffing into magni chassis.

What do you have left? Remote control? Better power supplies? Is pivot point a thing that otl is technically capable of adopting? (It doesn't seem likely.)

Totally agree.

Considering everything that is current in the line, it's hard to argue that an improvement over the Valhalla2 is likely.

I just wonder if Jason is totally satisfied with it. Enough to say, "been there, done that". I'd argue he's the type to constantly evaluate if something could be better (to his own personal opinion) and work to meet his own expectations and thus always working on something "new"...

It's not likely, but it's still fun to talk about it.

 

[rnros]

SET? Whazzat?

No, I'm assuming when people say OTL, they mean, output transformerless. Unless it's taken on some special meaning in the summit-fi world, that meant that there was no coupling transformer between the final amplifier and the output device (headphones or speakers) to match impedance. I don't see one on any of their designs, but then, output transformers used to be big and bulky.

Or, to use Jason's phrase, Schiit is already buzzword-compliant.

Thanks for the clarification. Should have said: All tube OTL with 6SN7 drivers, some serious power tubes, and even the possibility of a rectifier tube?
But with more tubes comes more customer maintenance issues, so not likely.

Re: Page 1477, are you referring to @AviP's suggestion of the PivotPoint Magni 3? Interesting. Magni or something above the Jot?

 

[FrivolsListener]

Thanks for the clarification. Should have said: All tube OTL with 6SN7 drivers, some serious power tubes, and even the possibility of a rectifier tube?
But with more tubes comes more customer maintenance issues, so not likely.

Re: Page 1477, are you referring to @AviP's suggestion of the PivotPoint Magni 3? Interesting. Magni or something above the Jot?

Yes, as stated above. Quoting myself, there may be something like that in the works. Or there may not be. We don't know.

I doubt the final product, if there is one, would be called the Magni3, though, because they seem to be trying to keep the Magni/Modi entry point price down at $99 each to get people addicted. (Worked for me!)

 

[FrivolsListener]

Thanks for the clarification. Should have said: All tube OTL with 6SN7 drivers, some serious power tubes, and even the possibility of a rectifier tube?
But with more tubes comes more customer maintenance issues, so not likely.

Re: Page 1477, are you referring to @AviP's suggestion of the PivotPoint Magni 3? Interesting. Magni or something above the Jot?

Re OTL, oh, okay. Probably not. I'm personally more interested in how it sounds than what the active devices are. It's one of the reasons I haven't sprung for an Asgard 2. I'm not enthralled with a topology so much as how it sounds. Besides, I didn't want the space-heater that all Class A amps are.

 

[winders]

I cast my vote in general for bananas.

I went with Sewell Silverback banana plugs and I am pleased with them. I started out using bare wire at the speakers and Vidar and quickly decided that was not going to work. Well, it worked fine, but I was not happy with the bare wire hanging out there. If someone moved the speaker or the speaker wire or the amp it's possible the wires could move. Banana plugs are easier to deal with than spade connectors so I went with them. The speaker manufacturer recommend banana plugs as well.

 

[FLTWS]

I've had no noise issues of any sort at all with my stable of 6DJ8's and MJ2 with any of my phones.

RE: Freya tube types and Schiit's next product intro; I guess we'll just have to wait and see what Jason has in store for us. I'd be surprised if it's another tube HP amp. But I am curious to hear what MP is all about.

Maybe that large empty hole someone saw in a chassis is for a meter! Or, a king sized LED/night light combo!

I do keep thinking when the current dust storm settles I will pick up a Freya & Vidar, place them in my Schiit stand, and see how many days I can go before I breakdown and buy (audition actually) a pair of speakers to use them with as I attempt to make a return to "quality" 2 channel listening. Whatever speakers I get I'm also gonna' need a very large shoe horn as my best listening area is dominated by my home theater and it's surround sound system, or I'll have to set it up in my basement, most likely.

 

[rnros]

Yes, as stated above. Quoting myself, there may be something like that in the works. Or there may not be. We don't know.

I doubt the final product, if there is one, would be called the Magni3, though, because they seem to be trying to keep the Magni/Modi entry point price down at $99 each to get people addicted. (Worked for me!)

Yes, that seems much more likely, especially since Pivot Point is described as "Schiit-proprietary" indicating that there is pride and confidence in that design. I don't know if a patent would actually apply here, but if so, even more reason.
The description of that topology was certainly enough to get me excited, ending with: "It is, quite simply, the highest-performing, most flexible gain stage we’ve ever created. And it’s like nothing else out there."

So, yeah, the addiction thing is there. I still want one, but I've convinced myself to wait and on my next trip to LA I'm going to the Schiitr.

 

[rnros]

I've had no noise issues of any sort at all with my stable of 6DJ8's and MJ2 with any of my phones.

RE: Freya tube types and Schiit's next product intro; I guess we'll just have to wait and see what Jason has in store for us. I'd be surprised if it's another tube HP amp. But I am curious to hear what MP is all about.

Maybe that large empty hole someone saw in a chassis is for a meter! Or, a king sized LED/night light combo!

I do keep thinking when the current dust storm settles I will pick up a Freya & Vidar, place them in my Schiit stand, and see how many days I can go before I breakdown and buy a pair of speakers to use them with as I attempt to make a return to "quality" 2 channel listening. Whatever speakers I get I'm also gonna' need a very large shoe horn as my best listening area is dominated by my home theater and it's surround sound system, or I'll have to set it up in my basement, most likely.

Indeed, if you buy right you can avoid noise issues with tubes. Responsible sellers and individuals.

Same here on the Freya and Vidar, it's more about choosing speakers. Another reason I want to visit the Schiitr, to hear the Song3.

 

[FrivolsListener]

Yes, that seems much more likely, especially since Pivot Point is described as "Schiit-proprietary" indicating that there is pride and confidence in that design. I don't know if a patent would actually apply here, but if so, even more reason.
The description of that topology was certainly enough to get me excited, ending with: "It is, quite simply, the highest-performing, most flexible gain stage we’ve ever created. And it’s like nothing else out there."

So, yeah, the addiction thing is there. I still want one, but I've convinced myself to wait and on my next trip to LA I'm going to the Schiitr.

Well, a couple of things to think about:

1. I first saw the Vidar prototypes almost a year ago. They may have been shown earlier than that, but that's a year between, "yes, we're building it" to "here it is," with people constantly asking if it's done yet. I bet he doesn't want to do that again.
2. As for the patent, that would involve publishing the details, which Schiit has chosen not to do. However, it wouldn't surprise me if some lawyer has the appropriate stuff on hand should someone else independently come up with the design so Schiit can show that they had prior art. But I don't know how the patent thing works beyond that the patent can be seen by the public.

 

[JohnnyCanuck]

Re OTL, oh, okay. Probably not. I'm personally more interested in how it sounds than what the active devices are. It's one of the reasons I haven't sprung for an Asgard 2. I'm not enthralled with a topology so much as how it sounds. Besides, I didn't want the space-heater that all Class A amps are.

First off, the Asgard 2 sounds great.

I wouldn't classify it as a 'space-heater' given its 30 W max. power consumption rating.

JC