[corndog71]

I have a Schiit question guys.

On the Freya S, i'm running 2 NC400 monoblocks which are fed from the balanced xlr's of my dac. If I switch from passive to Nexus and then the other, will I blow something up?

Also, I read the manual, but I am not understanding what Nexus 1 and Nexus 4 does aside from more gain. What are the pros and cons of each?
(sorry, new to preamps)

1. Passive - signal only goes through the attenuator. Output impedance varies with volume setting. Some people don’t need the gain or active buffer and prefer the simpler circuit. Not ideal for long cable runs.
2. Buffer - signal has no gain but due to the active circuit has a lower output impedance. This can be helpful with longer cable runs. Useful for high sensitivity speakers.
3. 4x signal gain. Signal is amplified. This can be helpful with long cable runs as well as low sensitivity speakers. Some people also just prefer more gain.

 

[ArmchairPhilosopher]

I’ve had these Tyrs for close to six months, yet they still surprise me with their immediate transients and effortlessly crisp yet lush low end all the freaking time.

 

[EMINENT]

I'm assuming your signal path is Dac -> Freya S -> NC2400's
Switching from Passive to N1 is immediate, and at least in my system (yggy -> freya s -> vidar monblocks), a slight increase in gain and perceived "presence". Going to N4 will involve a bit of a time delay, as additional gain stage stabilizes, I'd recommend reducing volume as this happens then adjusting to taste.....

1. Passive - signal only goes through the attenuator. Output impedance varies with volume setting. Some people don’t need the gain or active buffer and prefer the simpler circuit.
2. Buffer - signal has no gain but due to the active circuit has a lower output impedance. This can be helpful with longer cable runs. Useful for high sensitivity speakers.
3. 4x signal gain. Signal is amplified. This can be helpful with long cable runs as well as low sensitivity speakers. Some people also just prefer more gain.

Thank you. Any thoughts on if one is better than the other or just a preference thing? I'm assuming 4x is overkill on LCD5's 14ohm/90db sensitivity.

 

[Plautus001]

Thank you. Any thoughts on if one is better than the other or just a preference thing? I'm assuming 4x is overkill on LCD5's 14ohm/90db sensitivity.

Try it out... high gain on the Asgard 3 is "too much" for my Grado SR325X, but I prefer it... always tune to your own ears

 

[corndog71]

I’ve had these Tyrs for close to six months, yet they still surprise me with their immediate transients and effortlessly crisp yet lush low end all the freaking time.

https://images.app.goo.gl/oaU72gyTF3ya8A4V7

 

[Jason Stoddard]

I just realized - one of the things that held up The Gadget was related to computing power so it had a noticeable delay in playback, and this might be better in Mike's thread, but with The Singularity being on an FPGA, does that open new avenues into reviving The Gadget for consumers, or is this a mechanical showing his roots?

Gadget is done, has been done, other crazy stuff has been done, just trying to figure out how to package it all so it isn't another Sol adventure (as in something you actually want to buy), then the whole deal got sucked into the DSP abyss, now we think we know how to package it. Expect next year. Expect to be surprised. Very surprised.

 

[filthy mechanical]

Gadget is done, has been done, other crazy stuff has been done, just trying to figure out how to package it all so it isn't another Sol adventure (as in something you actually want to buy), then the whole deal got sucked into the DSP abyss, now we think we know how to package it. Expect next year. Expect to be surprised. Very surprised.

Well, now I need to re-think the stereo rack. Amps on bottom, preamp above, DAC above that, transport above, and top shelf was shared between the Folkvangr, router, and Pi2AES streamer off a local SSD/Boston Pops on the radio for the 4th. I'm out of shelves for a Gadget!

 

[ArmchairPhilosopher]

Based on the following points…

- As of the SchiitrMeet, Singularity prototypes existed in (at least) two variants: One running on an FPGA, and one running on a DSP.
- FPGAs are, from what I can tell, a relatively new addition to Schiit's toolbox.
- DSPs have been around for a lot longer at the "Schlabbs" — the "Schiit Labs" — and I think it was mentioned that The Gadget prototype was running on a DSP.
- Dave mentioned that DSPs tend to perform faster than FPGAs.

…I kinda assume that Singularity's existence doesn't really mean that The Gadget's performance bottlenecks are no longer an issue. From my understanding, The Gadget is quite a bit more resource hungry than a "simple" DAC implementation. The fact that it is already pushing the envelope of what can be done on a DSP, I have serious doubts that the (seemingly) slower FPGAs would provide a better platform.

So, as much as it pains me to say, but I don't think Singularity can serve as an indicator that The Gadget's state of being stuck in development hell has improved at all.

But I've been known to be wrong, of course — which should always be the default assumption when one reads the tea leaves as I just attempted to do.

Gadget is done, has been done, other crazy stuff has been done, just trying to figure out how to package it all so it isn't another Sol adventure (as in something you actually want to buy), then the whole deal got sucked into the DSP abyss, now we think we know how to package it. Expect next year. Expect to be surprised. Very surprised.

Turns out: I was wrong!
Shocker.

 

[cakewalk101]

And now back to our regularly scheduled program -- sort of...

Found out recently that I'm going to be a grand dad. It was difficult to accept at first as I don't wish to admit that I'm old, but I'm coming around to the idea of a little kiddo that the wife and I can spoil and then send back home for the daughter and SIL to deal with. Hopefully she (it's a girl) will love music as much as I do and won't poke the tweeters on my speakers.

Congratulations!

 

[bcowen]

I will keep that in mind in case Finnegan has to hit the road with me.

Bring him along. Conehead could use some moral support after getting the $2k tumor removed from her back leg.

 

[Paladin79]

Bring him along. Conehead could use some moral support after getting the $2k tumor removed from her back leg.

Finnegan gets along well with dogs!!! Also other cats, deer, and aardvarks.

 

[bcowen]

Finnegan gets along well with dogs!!! Also other cats, deer, and aardvarks.

Conehead gets along very nicely with cats. Problem is the two cats don't get along with other cats. Both are female, so it's not a territorial thing. Probably just that they're spoiled and entitled. Or, cats.

 

[Timster]

Thank you both for the ideas ... I am always looking for new (to me) jazz drummers. May I propose a guy who's still alive - Brian Blade. Check him out in Chick Corea's Trio (sadly, RIP) along with Christian McBride on bass.

With the Gungnir MB technology and Sennheiser HD800, I can hear everything the drummer is doing - and that's very important to me. I want to hear the mistakes, too. Poorly recorded music need not apply. And, IMO, the best drummers are the most emotional - the capability of a light touch is imperative. I never got into rock drumming as much ... although I have much respect for Neal Peart's work. YMMV as always

 

[earnmyturns]

I have heard a lot of great things about ZMF headphones

I own too many ZMF headphones: Verité closed (2x), Verité open (2x), Auteur, Atrium (In my defense, I split my time between two places). Atrium is the best all-rounder, Verité closed hits hardest, Auteur is the mellowest, Verité open is the most swinging for jazz.

 

[OldRoadToad]

Gadget is done, has been done, other crazy stuff has been done, just trying to figure out how to package it all so it isn't another Sol adventure (as in something you actually want to buy), then the whole deal got sucked into the DSP abyss, now we think we know how to package it. Expect next year. Expect to be surprised. Very surprised.

For me to actually want and NEED to buy it, well...It needs to be "toadish". You know...VU Meters, classic tubeish looks and affordable by working class folks.

Not gonna happen. This is not to say that what you are making is another "SOL" ("Schiit Outta Luck"?!) but one with broad appeal to the masses, not the asses. Part of that appeal should be affordability and classic good looks. No more "SOL" aka "Schiit Outta Luck". Weird only sells to Yoko Ono types. They're full of poop, not Schiit. Saying the SOL looks weird is just my definition of its appearance. Some here might think I look weird. Saying so does not harm me in any way, shape or form. Water off a toad's back, don'tcha know.

But I do think, not feeeeeeeeeeel, that you know not only your audience but your buyers, both real and potential. At least you despise MQA, so you have that going for you....Which is nice.

ORT The Chaste