Schiit Happened: The Story of the World's Most Improbable Start-Up
Sep 12, 2017 at 6:44 PM Post #24,241 of 145,645
IMG_20170912_164839271_HDR.jpg
Oops, leed in picture didn't post, kindah important with the power lines snapped. Maybe Jason is working on a line of generators geared to hi-fi!
 
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Sep 12, 2017 at 7:46 PM Post #24,243 of 145,645
+1.

I do agree with one of the previous posts that RCAs (single-ended) many times offer adequate performance for the majority of home systems with reasonably short cable runs. In general, there are certainly other system aspects I would worry about first before balanced cables.

However, in the case of the Gumby and the Yggy specifically, we are talking about a truly hardware-balanced D-to-A signal chain (4 DACs total, one per phase), so [in my view] the application of balanced XLR-cabling here goes beyond common-mode noise rejection -- it allows you to harness the full power of Schiit's balanced design, without the use of their summing circuits that feed the single-ended analog outputs. While I have no doubt that Schiit implemented this well, the summing circuits likely mean additional active parts (whether discrete or op amp), which can introduce additional noise, error/offset, etc. that aren't present when using a balanced output.

All that said... Whether or not you can hear such things in your system is the true test! I can hear a difference between the SE and the balanced outputs of my Gumby in my speaker system through the Freya preamp. YMMV :)

Devils advocate: So what exactly is the "full power of the balanced design"? Why would two DAC's together, one fed by a positive reference voltage and one by a negative be inherently more accurate than a single DAC? Do you think their errors would exactly complement each other. Schiit does not have different distortion or SNR specs for single ended vs balanced outputs.

Can you hear the difference if you correct for loudness to within .2db? Balanced outs are 6db louder. In testing, slightly louder is almost always perceived as better, even when the subject doesn't hear it as louder.
 
Sep 12, 2017 at 9:54 PM Post #24,245 of 145,645
Yikes. Do we need to have a sticky explain how to resize an image file?

Whoa! Give the guy a break. He's reporting from the front lines running without shore power. Overlooking a couple of little details is no big deal.

Personally I found it enlightening that a generator provides stable enough power that you can run sensitive electronics like a hi-end headphone rig or stereo without tons of electrical noise in the audio signal.
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Sep 12, 2017 at 10:21 PM Post #24,246 of 145,645
Yikes. Do we need to have a sticky explain how to resize an image file?
Easiest way is to put the images inside quotes. Fourth icon from the right in the txt editor.
 
Sep 12, 2017 at 11:16 PM Post #24,248 of 145,645
I am still listening mostly through Yggdrasil + Jotunheim on an HD650 with my RPi3/Volumio feeding the Gen5 USB input. It sounds fantastic as always. But I'd really like to get a speaker system into the chain someday. With that said, I have balanced output from Yggdrasil to Jotunheim today and I will try to stick to that. The good thing about Jot is that it converts balanced to SE output, but with Freya, only the tube mode does this and I am trying to avoid tubes.

So, my wishlist is now either:
LSST for Freya OR Jotunheim-like SS balanced pre-amp from Schiit.
 
Sep 12, 2017 at 11:57 PM Post #24,249 of 145,645
I am still listening mostly through Yggdrasil + Jotunheim on an HD650 with my RPi3/Volumio feeding the Gen5 USB input. It sounds fantastic as always. But I'd really like to get a speaker system into the chain someday. With that said, I have balanced output from Yggdrasil to Jotunheim today and I will try to stick to that. The good thing about Jot is that it converts balanced to SE output, but with Freya, only the tube mode does this and I am trying to avoid tubes.

So, my wishlist is now either:
LSST for Freya OR Jotunheim-like SS balanced pre-amp from Schiit.
Nice.. I'm doing Jotunheim with HD650, when it arrives, and plan to run it with some DIY monitors.

LSST for Freya? It has JFET output so no need for LSST.
 
Sep 13, 2017 at 12:18 AM Post #24,251 of 145,645
I'm still on the fence about whether to get 8 Ohm speakers that are in the highest sensitivity range like the RP-280F (98 dB), or to get 4 Ohm speakers that are in the pretty high sensitivity range like the Airmotiv T2 (91 dB). The T1 get some pretty good reviews, but no one has reviewed the T2 yet. The doubling of power into 4 Ohms would make up almost 1/2 the difference in sensitivity, I think.
Also, if I want to stick with a fully single-ended system, how much advantage might I gain by bi-amping speakers with 2 Vidars? It seems I would get 200W total to a pair of 8 Ohm speakers vs getting 400W to the same speakers with monoblocks (but at the cost of having to get a balanced preamp, and for best results, a balanced, DAC, and then only being able to run a turntable through that system (if it's a Freya) in Tube gain mode.)

Just trying to figure how to spend more (but not too much more) to listen to my Britney Spears in the highest quality...
 
Sep 13, 2017 at 12:55 AM Post #24,252 of 145,645
I am still listening mostly through Yggdrasil + Jotunheim on an HD650 with my RPi3/Volumio feeding the Gen5 USB input. It sounds fantastic as always. But I'd really like to get a speaker system into the chain someday. With that said, I have balanced output from Yggdrasil to Jotunheim today and I will try to stick to that. The good thing about Jot is that it converts balanced to SE output, but with Freya, only the tube mode does this and I am trying to avoid tubes.

So, my wishlist is now either:
LSST for Freya OR Jotunheim-like SS balanced pre-amp from Schiit.
What is your question? Why don't you simply run SE or balanced out from Jotunheim to the power amplifier?
 
Sep 13, 2017 at 2:14 AM Post #24,254 of 145,645
I bought a set of R-26F for $350 on sale (for the pair). They sound like garbage. Flat, muted, veiled, and a bunch of other negative adjectives. Fortunately, I just use them with my receiver for the few times I need surround sound.

The R series uses IMG woofers instead of the aluminum ceramics found in the RP series. A noticeable difference, but not as much as you would think.
The R series uses aluminum tweeters instead of the titanium tweeters found in the RP series. This is a massively noticeable difference. The aluminum tweeters in the R series sound dead, flat, veiled, and in general are utterly horrendous.

The new rubberized hybrid tractrix horn on the RP series has a much broader sound stage than previous generations, very articulate, clear, and IMHO absolutely beautiful.

TLDR ... DO NOT BUY THE R series Klipsch! RP absolutely outperforms it in every way, and is worth the extra cash.

Any chance to hear the RF-7 II, compared to the RP series? If I'm planning to go full out on a single ended schiitsystem, I am thinking of the RF-7 II bi-amped with 2 Vidars, controlled by the Saga, and fed with both a Bimby (with Gen 5 USB) and Turntable.
 

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