[Ripper2860]

I heard a rumor that the next Thunderdome will pit Coaster + against Coaster S and Vali + against Vali S. Don't hold me to that, but my inside source says it could happen. Keep it on the down-low and you didn't hear it from me.

 

[IndieGradoFan]

Very interesting. I am thinking about either upgrading from my Ragnarok 1 to the Ragnarok 2 or keeping the Ragnarok 1 and then adding two Aegirs with the balanced pre-outs of the Ragnarok 1. What are you using as a pre-amp for your Aegirs? Any perspective on which may be a better option? I know we both need to learn more about Ragnarok 2 once it is released. My speakers are Spatial M3 TM at 93 db and 10-12 ohms.

Would love to hear what you decide. I've been debating something similar for LS50s. Leaning towards Rag 2 for simplicity reasons. Maybe even with a phono card to avoid external phono stage with Sol.

 

[kumar402]

I heard a rumor that the next Thunderdome will pit Coaster + against Coaster S and Vali + against Vali S. Don't hold me to that, but my inside source says it could happen. Keep it on the down-low and you didn't hear it from me.

wow can't wait for Coaster + against Coaster S showdown

 

[belgiangenius]

Shipping something that's not fully functional? Oh hell no.

That puts us in the middle of a whole bunch of people who will try ANY tube, then complain it doesn't work. Or their super-duper $8000 set they bought doesn't work as well as billed. Either way, we're in the middle. So yes, all tube products will always ship with tubes--tubes that we have tested, matched, and ensure work, so you have a fully functional and tested product.

Sorry, that's the way it will ALWAYS be.

I understand why a company would prefer to handle it this way.

As a customer I am never impressed when it is assumed that I am an idiot.

I also don't think Freya buyers are your average consumers.

But hey, I admittedly don't have the benefit of seeing what you see.

 

[kumar402]

Okayyyyyy, will wait four more days.

Good for me that my Allo DigiOne Signature arrived today. So I can start enjoying that one until monday.

are you using battery pack to power the clean side or any other power source?

 

[Ripper2860]

Maybe even with a phono card to avoid external phono stage with Sol.

Rag 2 is DEFINITELY on my list for my 2-channel setup. Small room with very efficient Tekton Lores and it should do VERY WELL!!

 

[Robert Padgett]

I understand why a company would prefer to handle it this way.

As a customer, I am never impressed when it is assumed that I am an idiot.

I also don't think Freya buyers are your average consumers

Nor are the Yggy owners, but for some reason, you think that a Freya buyer-spending $900 on a balanced pre-amp isn't the "average"?
Snobbish attitude, better suited for a forum where an average Tube Head pays $300 for extremely rare, therefore expensive 6SN7 tubes?
So Jason Stoddard, who caters to a broad consumer base, many of whom spend $99 to $349, are a less attractive demographic?
Dude, have you ever heard the expression-- profit made on volume sales--that is the Schiit Business model.
As for the assumption of "idiocy" by anyone, a quick review of the evidence, seems quite Prima facie, and accurate. IMHO

 

[dieslemat]

Very interesting. I am thinking about either upgrading from my Ragnarok 1 to the Ragnarok 2 or keeping the Ragnarok 1 and then adding two Aegirs with the balanced pre-outs of the Ragnarok 1. What are you using as a pre-amp for your Aegirs? Any perspective on which may be a better option? I know we both need to learn more about Ragnarok 2 once it is released. My speakers are Spatial M3 TM at 93 db and 10-12 ohms.

Well, before when there was only the Vidar as Schiit’s amp line up I had asked a lot of folks whaf they think if I use the Rag as a pre amp. No one gave a definitive answer but one fella told me (i cant remember who) is that it doesnt sound right if i use an integrated as a pre amp. So i never went with it.

I sold off my Rag to fund for the Freya and 2 Aegirs.

I did try using the Mjolnir 2 as a pre amp, but the Freya is way way way better as a pre amp.

If you watch Thomas from youtube, he definitely recommends the Freya



And in one of his videos where he was talking about this certain high end dealer in canada that the most effective change you can add to you system (in the dealer’s opinion) was the pre amp. To which, surprised Thomas.

I hope this info will help you in your decision. I look forward to what ou decide next.

 

[bluebanshee76]

are you using battery pack to power the clean side or any other power source?

I bought a linear power supply with it. Batteries tend to be drained every time I need them so the decision was based purely on comfort.

 

[Snowpuppy77]

Well, before when there was only the Vidar as Schiit’s amp line up I had asked a lot of folks whaf they think if I use the Rag as a pre amp. No one gave a definitive answer but one fella told me (i cant remember who) is that it doesnt sound right if i use an integrated as a pre amp. So i never went with it.

I sold off my Rag to fund for the Freya and 2 Aegirs.

I did try using the Mjolnir 2 as a pre amp, but the Freya is way way way better as a pre amp.

If you watch Thomas from youtube, he definitely recommends the Freya



And in one of his videos where he was talking about this certain high end dealer in canada that the most effective change you can add to you system (in the dealer’s opinion) was the pre amp. To which, surprised Thomas.

I hope this info will help you in your decision. I look forward to what ou decide next.

Appreciate the thoughtful input and recommendation. If I were in the market for a preamp the Schiit Freya+ would be on my short list. Not interested in a preamp at this time because I have high end headphones and I do not want to purchase another Yggrasil but instead use the one I have and my turntable with headphones and speakers with no extra switch box or extra contacts. I have some NAD separates (C160 and 218TH) and I can tell you that the Ragnarok makes a better preamp than the C160 when using it with the balanced preouts. So for now either the Ragnarok 1 or Ragnarok 2 will remain the control center of my system due to excellence with headphones. In all honesty I really do not have much of an incentive to do anything because the Ragnarok 1 sounds great with my speakers. Much better than the NAD separates with my efficient speakers. Would get the Ragnarok 2 however just because I can and it may sound even better. The remote and the now properly done headphone speaker switch are nice also. Another option is to use the balanced pre-outs of the Ragnarok 1 and buy a pair of Aegirs. Based on what we have heard from Jason two Aegirs sound better than a Ragnarok 1 however that was on a inefficient pair of Magnepans. The video interview indicates that the Ragnarok 2 sounds similar if not more rich than Aegir but that he did not mentioned how Ragnarok 2 sounds compared to two Aegirs.

 

[Paladin79]

I am building some solid state class A monoblocks that the Freya + should be perfect for, I prefer tube sound and the Freya can be a buffer.

 

[Delirious Lab]

Has anyone done a comparison of balanced source vs. SE source converted to balanced by the preamp?

i.e.: (balanced DAC → Passive Freya → amp) vs. (SE DAC → Nexus x1 Freya, balanced out → amp)

 

[Delirious Lab]

As a customer I am never impressed when it is assumed that I am an idiot.

I'm sure Schiit doesn't assume any given customer is an idiot. But I'll bet they are justified in assuming that some percentage of consumers are - a large enough percentage to justify Jason's answer.

Heck, I'll bet they observe it empirically.

 

[belgiangenius]

I'm sure Schiit doesn't assume any given customer is an idiot. But I'll bet they are justified in assuming that some percentage of consumers are - a large enough percentage to justify Jason's answer.

Heck, I'll bet they observe it empirically.

LOL. That's a fair comment.

I do think that Freya customers would be different, on average. I'd expect those interested in tubes to be older and more experienced with audio gear. Someone above called that a "snobbish attitude". I'm not sure where that pent-up hostility comes from...but he's right in the sense that the first thing I did with Freya + was drop in $500 worth the tubes.

Ratheon VT-231 flat plates in the driver stage and genuine Melz 1578 in the buffer stage. Pure bliss.

 

[EricDH]

I understand why a company would prefer to handle it this way.

As a customer I am never impressed when it is assumed that I am an idiot.

I also don't think Freya buyers are your average consumers.

But hey, I admittedly don't have the benefit of seeing what you see.

Now, you are most likely an informed customer, but not all customers are. I think Jason could tell a few horror stories about idiot customers they had to deal with. And then it makes perfect sense to ensure you don't deliberately open the door for them.

Thinking about it, I believe there is a chapter of the Schiit story talking about the fact that "the customer is NOT always right", including a few horror stories.