[ScubaMan2017]

To be clear, I'm not complaining about Sol. I got one last September and have been very happy with it, and amazed at how Schiit dealt with the issues. When I bought the Sol all I had was a Mani. I've since added Freya S, 2 Vidars, Modius, Vali, Modi, Magni, and as of yesterday Jil. Thanks in no small part to Schiit owning up to the issues with Sol and making it right.

...we can be a testy lot, @mysquealer . I apologise in advance.

 

[A Jedi]

Or it could turn into a thunderdome with a Mjolnir S vs Mjolnir + (each with the respective gain stages from above).

I don't think there is ever again a need for a thunderdome between a SS and tubed version of a product. The preamp experiment has shown without a doubt that people will always choose the tube.

 

[davidflas]

I don't think there is ever again a need for a thunderdome between a SS and tubed version of a product. The preamp experiment has shown without a doubt that people will always choose the tube.

Hmm.... Interesting point. I don't really consider myself a tube person, but I have two Schiit products that I use as preamps, and they are called Vali 2 and Valhalla 2.

 

[DougD]

I don't think there is ever again a need for a thunderdome between a SS and tubed version of a product. The preamp experiment has shown without a doubt that people will always choose the tube.

I don't have any sales data, but I tend to agree, re preamps. In the headphone world, a preamp isn't a necessity, it's more of a lifestyle upscale choice. For the people who entertain the idea of adding a preamp, the add-on cost of $300 (for Freya) to be able to bring tubes into the processing, when desired, is a good option. Conversely, saving $300 by denying oneself that option seems penny wise, pound foolish. IMO.

This may not extend to the small number of amps that are tubes-optional.

 

[Derrick Swart]

I don't think there is ever again a need for a thunderdome between a SS and tubed version of a product. The preamp experiment has shown without a doubt that people will always choose the tube.

Not me! With the Vali2 yes with Freya S no.

 

[A Jedi]

Not me! With the Vali2 yes with Freya S no.

I own a Freya S as well. But as we know the 2 SS products that were in a Thunderdome are gonners. Although @DougD may have a point - perhaps it's specific to preamps.

 

[MtnMan307]

I think at some point I will get a Vidar or two and use the Jot as a preamp. Need to buy a home first but it will hopefully contain more Schiit.

 

[Timster]

I think at some point I will get a Vidar or two and use the Jot as a preamp. Need to buy a home first but it will hopefully contain more Schiit.

Great combo. I use that daily in my office, can't say a bad word about them.

 

[wout31]

I don't think there is ever again a need for a thunderdome between a SS and tubed version of a product. The preamp experiment has shown without a doubt that people will always choose the tube.

That would be a darn shame, but then again I don't very often agree with the majority trend of audiophiles choices. That's what brought me to Schiit.

 

[audio philestine]

After all the promise you had shown, @ScubaMan2017 , it pains me to see you give in to such rank British barbarism...

Canadian barbarism, please...

.

Ah, Canada. They could have had French cuisine, British culture, and American technology.

Instead they got British cuisine, French technology, and American culture

 

[Les Strat]

I don't think there is ever again a need for a thunderdome between a SS and tubed version of a product. The preamp experiment has shown without a doubt that people will always choose the tube.

That's just your opinion.

Plenty of people on this forum have chosen SS over tubes.

In my preamp experiment, the Freya S won hands down. No tubes for me thanks.

The only place I want to hear a tube is in a Marshall guitar amp, with some great-sounding distortion

 

[macdonjh]

The only place I want to hear a tube is in a Marshall guitar amp, with some great-sounding distortion

Why limit that "great sounding distortion" to guitars, when you could also bring it to flutes? And violins? Even a triangle?

 

[Les Strat]

Why limit that "great sounding distortion" to guitars, when you could also bring it to flutes? And violins? Even a triangle?

I do like the sound of a triangle turned up to '11' on an amp

 

[Derrick Swart]

I own a Freya S as well. But as we know the 2 SS products that were in a Thunderdome are gonners. Although @DougD may have a point - perhaps it's specific to preamps.

I think it is more complicated than that. Could be that the same Thunderdome in different times had different results. Most important probably for the creators shall be what they learned of building them and how to apply this in future products. Not sure how much but I read a few times that people only use it with their headphone amp that already has a volume control - that is curious and gives food for thought for Jason imho. In any case for me the tubes are out. Vali2 fell and my Fulla2 also Fulla2 survived! Still have my dream of a full tube amp with high sensitive speakers, the contrary of what I have now

 

[macdonjh]

I do like the sound of a triangle turned up to '11' on an amp

Now I have to watch Spinal Tap again and see if the boys used a triangle in any of their songs...