[Ableza]

Must... stop... self... from ordering headphone amp that will power headphones I don't have yet...
..

You need the amp first otherwise you cannot enjoy the headphones. That's my theory, anyway.

 

[Pietro Cozzi Tinin]

That's where a trip to the Schiitr can be very helpful.

 

[Jason Stoddard]

A quote from the Ragnarok 2 owners manual,



@Jason Stoddard, do the new preamps share the linear volume control from the Ragnarok 2?

Yep, exactly the same.

It's a bit disturbing to some people who are used to typical potentiometers, which have only 10-20dB attenuation when set at "noon." Running the amp or preamp at 3:00 or even higher is normal for Ragnarok, Saga, and Freya.

 

[ElectroMod]

Just to let you know: Rag 2 is now available in Europe mainland from schiit-europe.com for 1.579€ (Just an amp) and 1879€ (Fully Loaded). And a few minutes ago I bought just an amp.

This is a pre order you will not get your amp for 3 - 4 weeks (so it says on the website)

 

[bluebanshee76]

Yeah, I know that it is not in stock. But since Jason was talking about building up stock I think it's okay to ask if this stock is for the US market only or if distributors outside the states get a few boxes as well.

 

[Xcalibur255]

A quote from the Ragnarok 2 owners manual,



@Jason Stoddard, do the new preamps share the linear volume control from the Ragnarok 2?

So the volume control is linear and not log? I bet that'll generate customer service emails. Personally I love this choice since log scale volume controls are mostly just to give people the impression that their amp has MOAR POWARR, but the great majority of audio gear out there does use log scale so it will feel counter-intuitive to many people at first.

 

[Snowpuppy77]

Yep, exactly the same.

It's a bit disturbing to some people who are used to typical potentiometers, which have only 10-20dB attenuation when set at "noon." Running the amp or preamp at 3:00 or even higher is normal for Ragnarok, Saga, and Freya.

You know Jason with my Ragnarok 1 I also had to get my head around having to move the volume past noon with speakers. One of your techs told me it was normal and I have not worried about it sense. Never have a lack of volume for my speakers or a collapse of sound stage even when I play uncomfortably loud at say 3:00. Love the amp especially the volume knob.

 

[438555]

That's where a trip to the Schiitr can be very helpful.

A bit far drive from MN. I should probably stop coveting something like the HE-6 SE anyway since it probably is limited in improvement from my HE560 anyway. And those, and my LCD2, Aeons, Beyers, and Grados are already great with the Jot.

 

[Jason Stoddard]

So the volume control is linear and not log? I bet that'll generate customer service emails. Personally I love this choice since log scale volume controls are mostly just to give people the impression that their amp has MOAR POWARR, but the great majority of audio gear out there does use log scale so it will feel counter-intuitive to many people at first.

Actually, the volume control is perfectly logarithmic, rather than the imperfect logarithmic splice of "log" volume pots.

Linear volume pots, if used for volume control, will lift you out of your chair by 8:30 on the knob. They're only 6dB down at noon!

Perfectly logarithmic = perfectly linear operation on the dB scale, with each click being exactly 0.625dB. So, you're 80 dB down at full attenuation, and 40dB down at 12:00. So you're still about 15dB or so down at 3 o'clock--similar to a typical imperfect logarithmic splice volume pot at noon.

 

[33na3rd]

Yep, exactly the same.

It's a bit disturbing to some people who are used to typical potentiometers, which have only 10-20dB attenuation when set at "noon." Running the amp or preamp at 3:00 or even higher is normal for Ragnarok, Saga, and Freya.

That's good to know. Thank you!

 

[judson_w]

Actually, the volume control is perfectly logarithmic, rather than the imperfect logarithmic splice of "log" volume pots.

Linear volume pots, if used for volume control, will lift you out of your chair by 8:30 on the knob. They're only 6dB down at noon!

Perfectly logarithmic = perfectly linear operation on the dB scale, with each click being exactly 0.625dB. So, you're 80 dB down at full attenuation, and 40dB down at 12:00. So you're still about 15dB or so down at 3 o'clock--similar to a typical imperfect logarithmic splice volume pot at noon.

I was confused a bit by the term linear. However, I can see it being used as linearly logarithmic (equal, consistent logarithmic steps). Thank you for explaining more. That makes sense.

 

[Rensek]

Actually, the volume control is perfectly logarithmic, rather than the imperfect logarithmic splice of "log" volume pots.

Linear volume pots, if used for volume control, will lift you out of your chair by 8:30 on the knob. They're only 6dB down at noon!

Perfectly logarithmic = perfectly linear operation on the dB scale, with each click being exactly 0.625dB. So, you're 80 dB down at full attenuation, and 40dB down at 12:00. So you're still about 15dB or so down at 3 o'clock--similar to a typical imperfect logarithmic splice volume pot at noon.

Do your legacy attenuated products work the same way? The original Ragnarok, Saga, Freya?

I want to say I read about relay stepped attenuators somewhere that started at .5 db per step, but later steps increased by .625 and eventually 1db. I can't remember where I read it and what products it covered.

 

[ashirin]

I just envisioned a new Schiit product... something that would fit in the product line between SYS and Saga.

Basically, it's a SYS, but taller. This would allow the RCA inputs/outputs to be placed vertically (like in Saga), which should leave enough room for three inputs and two outputs. Input switching could be handled using the same 3-way toggle on Modi 3. Chassis costs shouldn't be much higher since the additional amount of aluminum would be minimal. Throw in a higher quality volume pot (like maybe what is used on Asgard, possibly mounted vertically, and I think you could have something that's useful for a lot of different situations. I think it would be called SYS +. If it could be done at a $99 price point, I know I'd get one.

I think the biggest problem is that it would require a new chassis that Schiit does not currently use. But there might also be other products that could fit in a chassis that size, like a low power class D amplifier.

At last months ShiitrMeet, they were driving the Magenpans using a Magni 2 / Modi 2 stack running into a Vidar. Sounded pretty good! So I'm just saying, I think there is room for a more fully featured and higher quality version of SYS that still attempts to be as cheap as possible. This is especially true if it's paired with power amps that cost less than Vidar down the road.

 

[Rensek]

I just envisioned a new Schiit product... something that would fit in the product line between SYS and Saga.

Basically, it's a SYS, but taller. This would allow the RCA inputs/outputs to be placed vertically (like in Saga), which should leave enough room for three inputs and two outputs. Input switching could be handled using the same 3-way toggle on Modi 3. Chassis costs shouldn't be much higher since the additional amount of aluminum would be minimal. Throw in a higher quality volume pot (like maybe what is used on Asgard, possibly mounted vertically, and I think you could have something that's useful for a lot of different situations. I think it would be called SYS +. If it could be done at a $99 price point, I know I'd get one.

I think the biggest problem is that it would require a new chassis that Schiit does not currently use. But there might also be other products that could fit in a chassis that size, like a low power class D amplifier.

At last months ShiitrMeet, they were driving the Magenpans using a Magni 2 / Modi 2 stack running into a Vidar. Sounded pretty good! So I'm just saying, I think there is room for a more fully featured and higher quality version of SYS that still attempts to be as cheap as possible. This is especially true if it's paired with power amps that cost less than Vidar down the road.

There has alao been discussion elsewhere of a slimmed down saga or a bigger sys (depending upon point if view). 200 ish seems to be the price such an item may hit, if Schiit ever built it.

You idea of chassis size and arrangement is interesting, to me at least.

 

[Xcalibur255]

Actually, the volume control is perfectly logarithmic, rather than the imperfect logarithmic splice of "log" volume pots.

Linear volume pots, if used for volume control, will lift you out of your chair by 8:30 on the knob. They're only 6dB down at noon!

Perfectly logarithmic = perfectly linear operation on the dB scale, with each click being exactly 0.625dB. So, you're 80 dB down at full attenuation, and 40dB down at 12:00. So you're still about 15dB or so down at 3 o'clock--similar to a typical imperfect logarithmic splice volume pot at noon.

Thanks for this. It looks like I was remembering it wrong. The words linear log popped into my head while reading it and I remembered that the word linear was misleading on this subject.