[onethinline]

I'm still grinning from the overall sound out of the Asgard 3, but with my HD660S, I keep going back and forth between high gain (seems to sound a bit better, but pot stays around 9 o'clock) and low gain (better volume range, but slightly dampened sound?). Seems the impedance on those cans is an awkward number for the A3. Is it just in my head that the sound is a bit compromised on low gain, or is that just the volume level placebo? Is there something architecturally going on in the design that changes the sound quality between the two gain levels?

 

[audio philestine]

And the numeric display will be made up of patented white LED matrix that eschews light-pipes therefore basking the entire room in an intense white light to ensure that one wakes up on time by never allowing them to go to sleep. (Imagine 144 Magni 3s (not +) powered on in your bedroom room))

Only if it's a binary clock...

I think Ripper meant more like this (only with white Schiit LED-lasers)

I've actually had a couple of these in my life. One like the one pictured above, and one built in electronics shop class back in the 80's, with vintage red LEDs. I like to think I earned some of my nerd-cred by learning to read these.

 

[wout31]

What are the latest rumors?

That Elvis is still alive.

 

[RickB]

I'm still grinning from the overall sound out of the Asgard 3, but with my HD660S, I keep going back and forth between high gain (seems to sound a bit better, but pot stays around 9 o'clock) and low gain (better volume range, but slightly dampened sound?). Seems the impedance on those cans is an awkward number for the A3. Is it just in my head that the sound is a bit compromised on low gain, or is that just the volume level placebo? Is there something architecturally going on in the design that changes the sound quality between the two gain levels?

For humans, louder always sounds better. High gain appears to be "punchier." I can't say whether there is an actual difference.

 

[bboris77]

I'm still grinning from the overall sound out of the Asgard 3, but with my HD660S, I keep going back and forth between high gain (seems to sound a bit better, but pot stays around 9 o'clock) and low gain (better volume range, but slightly dampened sound?). Seems the impedance on those cans is an awkward number for the A3. Is it just in my head that the sound is a bit compromised on low gain, or is that just the volume level placebo? Is there something architecturally going on in the design that changes the sound quality between the two gain levels?

I felt the exact same thing. I thought that it is volume level placebo but ultimately ended up leaving it permanently on high gain. It is very difficult to do a proper volume-matched A/B comparison without a second Asgard 3. I do think that there is a slight difference in voicing between high and low gain modes. Personally, I think that the low gain mode is there exclusively for extremely sensitive, low impedance phones to minimize the noise floor. For my money, every amplifier should be voiced to sound best in high gain mode because people generally buy headphone amps to power low sensitivity/high impedance phones. I am sure that there are design compromises to be made where you cannot have the same amp sound its best in both low and high gain modes.

 

[tafens]

I'm still grinning from the overall sound out of the Asgard 3, but with my HD660S, I keep going back and forth between high gain (seems to sound a bit better, but pot stays around 9 o'clock) and low gain (better volume range, but slightly dampened sound?). Seems the impedance on those cans is an awkward number for the A3. Is it just in my head that the sound is a bit compromised on low gain, or is that just the volume level placebo? Is there something architecturally going on in the design that changes the sound quality between the two gain levels?

I wondered the same thing before, was the feeling of high gain being better sounding to me just placebo? The difference to me is subtle but in my ears high gain sounds more dynamic and engaging.

As it turns out, no, it’s not placebo. There is a real difference, and it comes from less overall feedback being used on high gain. This also means that it measures worse on high gain, so if one cares about numbers use low gain. As for sound being compromised, this would actually mean that low gain is more accurate according to measurements, but I care about what sounds good to me more than numbers, so I set gain on high and there it stays..

(I also use tubes, so the measurements went out the window there already)

 

[DACattack]

I've actually had a couple of these in my life. One like the one pictured above, and one built in electronics shop class back in the 80's, with vintage red LEDs. I like to think I earned some of my nerd-cred by learning to read these.

I had that exact same clock on my desk at work for years. Sad to say it died about 18 months ago. Still miss it. Lots of quizzical comments from co-workers who didn't get binary.

 

[audio philestine]

That Elvis is still alive.

Elvis isn't dead, he just went back home

 

[onethinline]

As it turns out, no, it’s not placebo. There is a real difference, and it comes from less overall feedback being used on high gain. This also means that it measures worse on high gain, so if one cares about numbers use low gain. As for sound being compromised, this would actually mean that low gain is more accurate according to measurements, but I care about what sounds good to me more than numbers, so I set gain on high and there it stays..

This makes me think again about the high-measuring Monoprice 887 I had for a few days and how despite all its objective performance, it just didn't have the punch, transient dynamics, and clarity of even the Magni 3+, let alone the Asgard. Not that the Schiit units measure poorly either, but indeed, seems merely pursuing perfect measurements is missing the point.

My remaining question is, am I making another trade-off by being at the low position of the pot in high-gain? I've heard about some amps having worse channel balance with the pot in the early positions...

 

[yonson]

I had that exact same clock on my desk at work for years. Sad to say it died about 18 months ago. Still miss it. Lots of quizzical comments from co-workers who didn't get binary.

There are 10 types of people in this world, those that understand binary and those that don't...

 

[livewire]

Jason - SoCal Stax guy here. Never had a "need" for your schiit, although I am a fan of your musings.
Keep up the good work and stay healthy!

 

[roadcykler]

MP3's only in your cell

 

[Varejao17]

Elvis isn't dead, he just went back home

Nah, he's saving the world.

 

[tincanear]

This makes me think again about the high-measuring Monoprice 887 I had for a few days and how despite all its objective performance, it just didn't have the punch, transient dynamics, and clarity of even the Magni 3+, let alone the Asgard. Not that the Schiit units measure poorly either, but indeed, seems merely pursuing perfect measurements is missing the point.

My remaining question is, am I making another trade-off by being at the low position of the pot in high-gain? I've heard about some amps having worse channel balance with the pot in the early positions...

Among the high quality potentiometers (volume controls) for audio, the Alps RK27 "blue velvet" is one of those, and channel mismatch, if indeed it was present and significant at lower volume settings would be especially noticeable with headphones, typically manifesting as an off-center image. The Alps RK27 is used in Asgard, Jotunheim, Mjolnir.

 

[onethinline]

Among the high quality potentiometers (volume controls) for audio, the Alps RK27 "blue velvet" is one of those, and channel mismatch, if indeed it was present and significant at lower volume settings would be especially noticeable with headphones, typically manifesting as an off-center image. The Alps RK27 is used in Asgard, Jotunheim, Mjolnir.

Ah, gotcha. That's helpful. And yep, haven't noticed any problems so far.