[dstrimbu]

For whatever reason I was trying to avoid using RCA. Gotta let the ole audiophile myths/habit of preferring XLR die. It'll be easier and save me some cash on adapters. Thanks again!

Yes, you need to let it die. SE is more than enough 99.999% of the time. I only went with balanced ICs because a) I could, b) I wanted to eliminate any potential sources of noise, and c) my equipment needed balanced inputs (e.g. monoblock Vidars and Tyrs).

Properly arranged, decent quality single-ended (RCA) cables are the smart choice.

 

[dstrimbu]

any impressions vs the canare 4s11?

Oh yes - thanks for asking. I have been using Canare 4s11 for the last 15+ years - I bought 250' quite a while ago. Using that cable and Cardas silver solder, I have built multiple sets of mono- and bi-wire speaker cables. Due to a bout of laziness, I bought a pair of BJC 4s11 bi-wires in August of 2021. That's when I decided that it's a lot easier to ping Jeff at BJC and have beautiful things appear on my front porch in three days... [and BTW I can't give those guys enough kudos for customer service].

Comparing my experience with Belden 1310A to the 4s11 is hard, as I've never run two parallel lengths of Canare 4s11 per side, as the 1310A is used in the OctoQuads.

I can say these things regarding my most recent cable-swap experiences, which are based on:

• a set of BJC Canare 4s11 locking banana bi-wires (one cable, 4-conductors total per side) - versus -
• a set of BJC Belden 1310A locking banana mono-wired OctoQuads (two cables, 8-conductors total per side; 4-per-polarity, with 4-conductor spaded 12" jumpers between the HF & LF terminals of the 804 D3s)...

Versus the Canare 4s11 bi-wires:

• The Belden OctoQuads sounded quite bright initially, but they mellowed in a couple of hours...
  • ...or, maybe my perception did?
  • Dunno, but the low end has 'matured' and 'deepened' dramatically IMHO now that we're 15+ hours in
• Soundstage "depth" has improved, markedly, with the QctoQuads. The system's overall 'drive' seems to be more effortless
  • ...not that the Tyrs ever worked hard. But they seems to be "freer" to drive the speakers than ever before
• Width, not so much change, but there is definitely more apparent "air" around all of the voices/instruments in the presentation
  • this "air" gets more pronounced with good recordings... OMG the stuff that Sara K does is unreal. Her recording engineer is a god.
• I am hearing sounds and undertones (e.g. that 'raspy' thing that happens around 3m53s into "When You Really Love Someone" by Alicia Keys on "Diary") that I have never, ever heard before on loudspeakers - only with headphones / IEMs
• ...the insane part? I'm wondering how much improvement I could possibly see with a set of Iconoclasts...
  • But I spent a year with the 4s11 bi-wires and loved them
  • So I will keep my money and see what Belden / Galen / BJC do next

I am basically awed to have a system that is so resolving that my 64-year-old ears can hear the differences in a cable change. Just effing unreal!!

p.s. aww schiit Alicia's "Karma" is melting my heart right now at -43.5db on the Benchmark LA4's screen. Even at this past-midnight volume level... it's SO well recorded... crazy. Those violins!!!

p.p.s. my sane friends tell me that I need to get a life.

 

[Les Strat]

Yes, you need to let it die. SE is more than enough 99.999% of the time. I only went with balanced ICs because a) I could, b) I wanted to eliminate any potential sources of noise, and c) my equipment needed balanced inputs (e.g. monoblock Vidars and Tyrs).

Properly arranged, decent quality single-ended (RCA) cables are the smart choice.

+1 @dstrimbu

I use balanced interconnects for similar reasons.

My streamer, Yggy, and Freya S all allow balanced connections, and my 'active' speakers only have balanced XLR inputs to the built-in power amps.

Those factors made the decision to use balanced throughout, very easy!

My Folkvangr is the one exception, as it has SE inputs only.

 

[Paladin79]

Oh yes - thanks for asking. I have been using Canare 4s11 for the last 15+ years - I bought 250' quite a while ago. Using that cable and Cardas silver solder, I have built multiple sets of mono- and bi-wire speaker cables. Due to a bout of laziness, I bought a pair of BJC 4s11 bi-wires in August of 2021. That's when I decided that it's a lot easier to ping Jeff at BJC and have beautiful things appear on my front porch in three days... [and BTW I can't give those guys enough kudos for customer service].

Comparing my experience with Belden 1310A to the 4s11 is hard, as I've never run two parallel lengths of Canare 4s11 per side, as the 1310A is used in the OctoQuads.

I can say these things regarding my most recent cable-swap experiences, which are based on:

• a set of BJC Canare 4s11 locking banana bi-wires (one cable, 4-conductors total per side) - versus -
• a set of BJC Belden 1310A locking banana mono-wired OctoQuads (two cables, 8-conductors total per side; 4-per-polarity, with 4-conductor spaded 12" jumpers between the HF & LF terminals of the 804 D3s)...

Versus the Canare 4s11 bi-wires:

• The Belden OctoQuads sounded quite bright initially, but they mellowed in a couple of hours...
  • ...or, maybe my perception did?
  • Dunno, but the low end has 'matured' and 'deepened' dramatically IMHO now that we're 15+ hours in
• Soundstage "depth" has improved, markedly, with the QctoQuads. The system's overall 'drive' seems to be more effortless
  • ...not that the Tyrs ever worked hard. But they seems to be "freer" to drive the speakers than ever before
• Width, not so much change, but there is definitely more apparent "air" around all of the voices/instruments in the presentation
  • this "air" gets more pronounced with good recordings... OMG the stuff that Sara K does is unreal. Her recording engineer is a god.
• I am hearing sounds and undertones (e.g. that 'raspy' thing that happens around 3m53s into "When You Really Love Someone" by Alicia Keys on "Diary") that I have never, ever heard before on loudspeakers - only with headphones / IEMs
• ...the insane part? I'm wondering how much improvement I could possibly see with a set of Iconoclasts...
  • But I spent a year with the 4s11 bi-wires and loved them
  • So I will keep my money and see what Belden / Galen / BJC do next

I am basically awed to have a system that is so resolving that my 64-year-old ears can hear the differences in a cable change. Just effing unreal!!

p.s. aww schiit Alicia's "Karma" is melting my heart right now at -43.5db on the Benchmark LA4's screen. Even at this past-midnight volume level... it's SO well recorded... crazy. Those violins!!!

p.p.s. my sane friends tell me that I need to get a life.

Very well said!

 

[bcowen]

Very well said!

So.....you're sitting there reading HeadFi and relaxing with a cup of coffee while Finnegan is sweating profusely unloading the van by himself? Figures.

 

[US Blues]

Hello @StimpyWan - I have tried it. In my esteemed opinion, it sounds exactly the same as it did with both cables attached to the HF posts.


Sorry, I was hoping for a better result.

Thank you for conducting the experiment.

 

[Roy G. Biv]

check out the silkscreen of the 2++ on the left (black PCB soldermask).

lol I missed that the first time. Nice catch.

 

[allans]

Lyr+ started with a simple, passing thought:

And it complicated what was a simple decision. I was ”this close” to pulling the trigger on a Jot as the cornerstone in a new headphone/desktop rig to replace an old compact receiver and be paired with a repurposed Bifrost2, Lokius, and TBD speaker amp. Then Lyr+ landed forcing me to consider tubes again after passing on a Freya+ in favor of a SS preamp in the main rig.
I am unfamiliar with tube topographies and have some (what I hope are) basic questions I’m hoping someone can help answer. Aside from Folkvangr, Schiit tubed preamps are built around 1 or 4 tubes. In each of these configurations what function does each tube serve and to what advantage over a SS alternative?
Does the 1 tube in the Lyr+ serve the same function as the 1 tube in Saga+ and Vali? Same question for the 4 tubes used in Valhalla and Freya.
Thank you.

 

[Paladin79]

So.....you're sitting there reading HeadFi and relaxing with a cup of coffee while Finnegan is sweating profusely unloading the van by himself? Figures.

Trust me Finnegan wanted to help bad lol. I have already unloaded the van, returned it with a full tank of gas and gave the rental place a wallet we found in the seat while cleaning it out. I mentioned I took photos of the info and hinted I would eventually get in touch with the college student to be sure she received the cash that was inside. Chances are she replaced everything else.

Now I start setting up equipment and I do not need decorating tips or pointers lol. I talked my son into taking one of these but I still had to unload one.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/314115239137?hash=item4922ba2ce1:g:nOYAAOSw3uljAYX5&amdata=enc:AQAHAAAA4PWmoRYjTLrfPGxlAT7s2XIE3Bni7BG+2hY5wmGQ6fIertLbB2lskswjSzW+qZtOtkfhNSshi9lyvRqszbK0Pdp6+cB+9cmlToUYeNubJLG1GrU0U0TMPHCOylWopJusu2FojM4U8ES2Ip1VWbEcAW8KVw3L+UwCWcQxrP0TkLSZ4hamszmv4LXA3K0CTpQdWE4HIwS2MUKzZjwifUbz04mmKD+n7JYt70NBsCWck2dKEDKwbnYYLxqiAemZ6X560Ip9Ufrxy9/9enkOS6D8E5Eg2JUaleUVQ5rLaLIcxWzC|tkp:BFBMlNPtuulg

Today and tomorrow will be spent going through some goodies I received.

 

[AstronomerXI]

Hi all, now that I'm back from my Canadian east-coast vacation, I can make a proper introduction. I discovered Schiit on a forum (maybe this one?) late last year. I had just bought a DAC in June 2021 (to my embarrassment, I never knew that desktop audio was a thing outside of the built-in PC sound cards until 2021- though I owned a SoundBlaster external sound card/DAC ~20 years ago), an ifi Zen DAC v2. I do like its analog bass boost, but that feature will see little use with my current set up. I do have a carefully set up and tuned home-theater and music room in the basement. Anyway, after some research, I ordered an Asgard 3 and a Sennheiser HD-650 set of cans. For speakers in my hobby room, the Asgard also went to a pair of powered Fluance Ai61's. The Asgard was and is an absolute thrill. In general, I prefer music where the musicians actually play their instruments, so Jazz, blues, jam bands, grunge, Americana, indie-rock, and live music get a lot of ear-time. Music played through the Asgard never fails to put a grin on my face.

I've since moved the Asgard to my library/reading room and added a weird tubed DAC and a Lokius. The DAC is connected to an M1 Mac Mini that's dedicated to the headphone system. I stream through Apple Music primarily, and also my music files over my network via Audirvana. I'll lightly EQ where and when necessary in a slight "w" curve via SoundSource. I've also tried about 9 presets for the HD-650's, but none of them fully satisfy my ears.

My hobby room has just had 4 Schiit components added to it, including the Vali 2++ and Magni 3+. The Magni is an impressive little amp and is wonderful on recently (last ~20 years) produced and engineered tunes. I just received the Vali 2 within 15 minutes of our return from vacation, and wow. I mean, WOW! The weird tubed DAC/AMP in the library has the tubes impart a very slight difference in sound, but not all tubes. Mostly it's a drop in gain with one or 2 exceptions. This experience lowered my expectations for the Vali and for tubes in general. I tried the Vali with Neil Young and Crazy Horse's 17-minute "Ramada Inn" last night, switching the headphone jack back-and-forth to the Magni to compare. In the Vali, the grunge in Neil's guitar got grungier, and in the best way possible! I mean, the difference in the overall sound was ear-pleasingly better to my ears, not in a subtle way and closer to a live sound. I have a dozen tubes I'll be playing with over the next few months, but the sound with the stock tube was <chef's kiss>. This has me looking seriously at Schiit's other tube offerings.

I'll likely get a Bifrost in the coming months for the library and move the weird DAC and Magni down to my work office. I work full-time from home and have done so since the pandemic started, and my employer has moved to full-time remote work across the company. I'll order a set of Sundaras to try out a different set of headphones. I do like my 650's. I was considering a Jot as a near-future amp upgrade, but the Lyr (or Valhalla) has my full attention now. The Folkvangr on the other hand...

 

[golfbravobravo]

You forgot the part about droning on incessantly (and, no, this is not directed at you. I prefer the word "voluble" for you. )

and Watney's Red Barrel.......

 

[OldRoadToad]

And if you like Blues/Swing, with a small 8-piece backing band, I present Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers,

Thank you for the recommendation. My mom would "cross the tracks" in Missouri as a young girl to listen to the Blues. Like Bluegrass, the Blues fill me to satisfaction in a couple of hours. But then like Chinese food, I will soon be hungry for more. I am listening to "The Red Elvises" right now. The song is "200 Flying Girls".

Some more talented persons whom I enjoy are Mel Carter and Tommy Edwards. And of course Brook Benton. Damn...I am getting old(er).

ORT The Ancient

 

[golfbravobravo]

A good thing then, that Vulcan's have a long lifespan...!

They are all grounded now XH558 was the last

 

[ArmchairPhilosopher]

Thanks for this! A lot!

Respect, that's exactly what I needed this extremely tired evening. I have other Gidon Kremer recordings, but I had missed this one. And I'm a Glass fanatic.
Update: What an amazing recording! Makes the crazy (non-Schiit, sorry) gear worth it: Roon>HQPlayer>Holo Spring 2 KTE>DNA Stellaris Special>ZMF Atrium LTD koa.

You guys are absolutely welcome. It's among my favorite albums.

 

[artur9]

... Old-school written reviews are much faster to process, and much-much faster to re-visit, and so I prefer those. ...

Not a fan of video reviews. With only one or two exceptions, I find the "hosts" off-putting, to say the least.
It also takes them way too long to convey actual facts.