[Bonehead7171]

Vandys == Vandersteens, right? If so are you bi-amping? Bi-wiring? Using jumpers? Been curious about them since the 2's seem to be easy to find for a decent price. Just never sure if the surrounds will be an issue on those older speakers.

Yes, Vandersteens. Bi-wiring. Bought new last year so I cannot say about older ones. But, there have been A LOT sold over the years so there are resources on how to fix every part of them.

 

[Mr Rick]

I know of no such device but I believe I could build it when I have free time. I am pretty well booked till May or June. Longer if I build a dream amp that makes @bcowen spit his coffee on his laptop.

Oh yeah, I do not use metal cabinets, I only build with wooden cabinets and maybe a metal faceplate or top plate. It has to be pretty.

I'm using a Magnius as a work-around. I'm thinking of building something myself.

 

[theeclone]

Yes, Vandersteens. Bi-wiring. Bought new last year so I cannot say about older ones. But, there have been A LOT sold over the years so there are resources on how to fix every part of them.

Nice. That puts my mind at ease a bit. I've had some pretty great results bi-amping my advent as2's.

Currently using this Outlaw 7 channel amp to bi-amp them from the freya n's balanced and se outputs, but the levels are a bit off. I used to use adcom amps that you could daisy chain and set levels on each input. Next thing I'll try is a passive xlr preamp to adjust the balanced level down a bit, or an xlr y splitter. Or if I got the vandys I could adjust it on them!

 

[macdonjh]

I still have a Samsung plasma 3D TV. I have never needed to open it. I am guessing I bought it in 2010 or so.

Our Panasonic is from that era.

In car audio, you need a crossover to optimize the system (various speaker sizes)

For example, in my van I have Fronts 70 Hz up, Rears 100 Hz up, and subs 70 down... it works well in that particular setup

I wish I could get a crossover that does it all in the digital domain and then have various filtered outputs like many Surround Receivers and Car Headunits - but that may have an adverse effect on two channel sound quality.

JL Audio VXi amps, FiX/ Twk. Either used with their Tun program.
Audison Forza amps (I think), Bit.
Rockford Fosgate DSR-1 (I think)

 

[ImagesbyMurray]

I've almost changed my mind. Maybe.

If I reach deeper into my pockets, which amps would you recommend?
2x Vidar's
2x Aegir's
or another Amp?
Budget $1600. The price of two Aegir's. Max.
Based on a single amp criteria, most recommend the Vidar given my setup.
Does that still stand given the budget has doubled, or does it sway towards the Aegir x2?

With the help of your input, I'm leaning Vidar x1 if I stay the course.
Aegir x2 if I increase the budget. Only if the Aegir can safely drive 4ohms in Mono.

Tip me one way or the other. Eek

Based on your first post, and given the fact you share a wall with a neighbor, I'd start with 2 Aegir's. Although the Mono's are not rated into 4 ohm, my experience with Mono Vidar's driving Apogee Duetta Signatures (tough load, inefficient) has been excellent.

 

[Paladin79]

I'm using a Magnius as a work-around. I'm thinking of building something myself.

There you go. It will allow me more time to annoy Cowen.

 

[OldRoadToad]

Testing the Bifrost 2 and a speaker tube amp...dont laugh at my cheap meter!!

If you had that 55 years ago we'd be calling you Mr. Spock.

ORT

 

[Pondoro]

Here is a product I would like to see:

A box with one pair of RCA inputs and three pairs of RCA outputs, and three pairs of balanced outputs. Buffered output with unity gain. I would use it to distribute the high passed output of my subwoofers to my various amplifiers.

Anyone know of such a device?

That would be a very useful device. I don’t need one but I recognize the utility.

 

[OldRoadToad]

Which Van Alstine amp is that? It's gorgeous.

That's a Van Helsing.

Sorry. Was watching Nosferatu earlier today and am still in an undead kinda sorta mood. Which bodes ill because I was gonna cue up my LP of the Dead's Greatest Hits. Now I will have to wait a day or two...
ORT

 

[Mr Rick]

I went from a Vidar to an Aegir playing into my Zu Omen IIs. I found the change to provide a smoother sound with more detail so if you speakers are efficient enough I would highly recommend the Aegir.

I recently switched from a Modius (AKM) to the MM2 and that was quite a musical change. Instruments sound much more lifelike and I would never go back to the Modius. They both feed my Lyr 3 then into the Aegir and I am pretty sure that I have never had the volume knob past 12 and at 12 I would be listening at close to 100 db. So the system has lots left for those big passages.

I use a pair of Aegirs to bi-amp my Tannoy floorstanders, or as monoblocks on my Harbeth 30.2s I use a single Vidar on my less efficient Harbeth P3ESR XDs. Just added a pair of OG Vidar monoblocks for my Magnepan .7s.

If you listen at reasonable levels I think you can use Aegir and Vidar monoblocks with just about anything.

 

[adias]

I liked NOS at first but the more that I listened I went back and forth. It's depending on the music, the amp and the headphones. It's nice to have another trick in your bag to make things sound better to your ears.

Isn't the NOS switch to drive the DAC with upsampled streams from a player/processor such as Audirvana or similar?

 

[RickB]

Is an Eitr type product even necessary anymore with Unison? I was under the impression that Eitr was redundant once Unison was made.

I certainly enjoy not having to use an Eitr with my Modi Multibit 2 (not to mention the sound is an upgrade).

 

[HWB3]

Isn't the NOS switch to drive the DAC with upsampled streams from a player/processor such as Audirvana or similar?

That's a great question that I have no answer for. Sorry, mate.

 

[Rensek]

Thank You! I don't understand the "not stable" part. As in output power is not stable and heard as distortion?

I'm leaning single Aegir. I'm not looking to drive a party with the amp. Critical listening and enjoyment is all I'm after. Just loud enough listening level (moderate) is good enough.

Given your listening levels I'd start with one Aegir. If you want something with more bass control trade it for a Vidar, but you might, repeat might, find that Vidar doesn't sound as good in other areas to your ears. If one Aegir sounds great but you find you need more power, buy another Aegir, but be aware some folks like the sound of a single Aegir better than two Aegirs

Or buy a Ragnarok 2 just an amp and get almost the best of both worlds with little drawback.

Clear as mud right?

 

[earnmyturns]

Isn't the NOS switch to drive the DAC with upsampled streams from a player/processor such as Audirvana or similar?

That's how I'd use it, with HQPlayer as the processor, as I do with my Holo NOS DACs. But the Schiit internal digital filter is a big part of their multibit DAC magic, and I'm skeptical you can do much better than it with external processing given how well matched the internal filter and the rest of the Schiit DACs are.