[mmmadog]

I believe Tyr and Ragnarok are, and Aegir/Vidar when running as monoblocks.

Iam fully aware there balanced bridged. I guess when you have a low post count your assumed to know nothing.

 

[Acapella48]

Obviously, income tax calculations do not apply to government agencies.

Right. That's because government agencies are tax payer funded programs. They are not required to pay taxes. In most cases, they are tax collectors. In the case of the states, it would be federal and state special funding and or legislative mandate; counties, local and property taxes and/or special assessments (general obligation bonds, etc.) and of course individual income and corporate tax revenue feeds the federal government's coffers. Bottomline: Success or failure of any government program (that includes IT projects), we the tax payer foot the bill.

 

[Sinister Whisperz]

I second that motion.
All those in favor ...

No Schiiit, it isnt the schiiit contest I expect to find here, I put them on ignore yesterday, complete derail that has gone on too long.

 

[Paladin79]

I also have a Freya+ - you helped me find some good tubes! Thank you!

On a couple recent videos John Darko referred to his Freya+ and that, when he replaced it with his Cambridge Edge Pre-Amp everything was SO MUCH BETTER. That is a much more expensive piece of kit, and I am not at all interested in that piece in particular. But, you have extensive experience in HiFi. I wonder where you would place the Freya as a pre-amp? Not just for the money, but absolutely within your experience?

Also, I know some people on this blog do not like John, but that is not the point at all.

Thanks in advance!

This gets back to tubes in a way, with the proper tubes I think the Freya + would be in the top three of pre-amps I have heard. If Darko heard it with stock tubes that could be one of the reasons for his statement. Please note that I am very used to listening for differences in most any 6sn7 made so I absolutely have my preferences, just as you most likely noticed a difference with other tubes in your Freya +. Part of it to me is how well it matches the power amp with which I use it, always tube type by the way.

 

[rfernand]

On a couple recent videos John Darko referred to his Freya+ and that, when he replaced it with his Cambridge Edge Pre-Amp everything was SO MUCH BETTER. That is a much more expensive piece of kit, and I am not at all interested in that piece in particular. But, you have extensive experience in HiFi. I wonder where you would place the Freya as a pre-amp? Not just for the money, but absolutely within your experience?

I like the Cambridge Audio sound (I have and had a few items). It’s not hard to imagine someone liking the Edge, which is their top of the line. Their DACs are not bad at all, so maybe Darko was also enjoying the overall ”new toy” feel in his system?

Edit: I am a very happy Freya+ owner.

Also, I know some people on this blog do not like John, but that is not the point at all.

Popularity contests in the modern age? Inconceivable!

 

[Ripper2860]

I have no problems with Johnny Darko. He can be a bit long-winded, but other than that...

Plus he likes Schiit stuff, so I give him extra points for that.

 

[JanMc]

Maybe a shot in the dark, but any idea if the Modi multibit or Modius would sound much different than the Lyr with the multibit card?

The Modius would sound significantly worse but I don't know how much of an improvement the MM2 is. I do remember people thinking the original MM was better than the MM card and the MM2 is better than the MM so it should be a noticeable improvement.

 

[dstrimbu]

Your speaker cables look like pipsqueaks compared to those firehoses you call power cables.

Ahhh, yes the ridiculous 1M Pangea AC-9 power cables... I got them from Audio Advisor nearly ten years ago, on sale, for a 'song' - I think <$100 each, new? Total overkill but they were chillin' in the gear closet and turned out to be the perfect length for this set-up.

Speaker cables - Canare Quad from BJC, hastily modified to work with the Vidar's output terminal spacing when I got them back in May of 2018. Again, rescued from the gear closet. Lots of historical goodness in there, for sure. Save money, buy more Schiit... that's my motto, man. <g>

 

[supersonic395]

Received a new SYS yesterday. The button and volume knob are really off-center all the way to the bottom. Is this normal? Volume is not as smooth as I would wish and is weird when rotating. It is not sitting straight for sure. SYS seems to function as expected.
Is this normal? Does your have them the same way? Should I reach out to Schiit or this is how all of them are? Thanks.

My black SYS arrived a day early (shout out to FedEx) - so mine is more centrally aligned, although not 100% perfect.

But more importantly, it works perfectly so who cares about imperfect alignment - I could understand if my girlfriend was complaining with an imperfect alignment...but for the SYS, don't sweat it

 

[Paladin79]

Ahhh, yes the ridiculous 1M Pangea AC-9 power cables... I got them from Audio Advisor nearly ten years ago, on sale, for a 'song' - I think <$100 each, new? Total overkill but they were chillin' in the gear closet and turned out to be the perfect length for this set-up.

Speaker cables - Canare Quad from BJC, hastily modified to work with the Vidar's output terminal spacing when I got them back in May of 2018. Again, rescued from the gear closet. Lots of historical goodness in there, for sure. Save money, buy more Schiit... that's my motto, man. <g>

I use the same speaker cables myself and Pangea certainly makes reasonably priced quality products.

 

[dstrimbu]

I’m jealous - the Aegir is my dream amp.

You won't be disappointed when you achieve your dream, Rob. It delivers detail in droves... you'll love Aegir!

 

[W3WEB]

I am not going to argue each point, they are certainly finite over a period of time and the cost of a powerful tube amp can be in the thousands.

That being said, there is a company in the Netherlands you may be familiar with, PrimaLuna. They do amazing things with auto-bias and tube longevity. Tubes are worth it to me, each to their own.

I look at @wout31's list and can logically agree with each point. But emotionally am still more satisfied with tubes...

Echo what @Paladin79 says about PrimaLuna. I paired my Evo100 with Magnepan LRS speakers -- which is not usually recommended. But at sane listening levels, the combo does fine, and the tube magic is very present.

 

[Sinister Whisperz]

My wallet is going to need a support group if I keep reading this thread, bunch of dang enablers in here.

Anyone know how well the Vali series plays with the Grado 325e? Wes Phillips (editor of Stereophile) was my next door neighbor for years and he used to keep my ears well entertained with a variety of tube amps, I think it's time I get my own.

 

[dstrimbu]

those. huge. power. cables. are. just. wrong. (two thumbs up)

They are even more ridiculous when you see what they are plugged into:

But, as I wrote elsewhere, they were purchased long ago. There is also a lot of stray RF in this office. The Jotunheim / Aegir setup is dead silent; I am sure that the balanced input cables are much larger contributors to the overall lack of noise, but... these power serpents are kind of fun. And they can't hurt, either...

 

[OldRoadToad]

Like I stated in my post, I hate them.

Tubes to me is:
- unwanted colouration of sound (what most call warm)
- masses of distortion, most 2nd order, but still
- microphonic (the phenomenon where a tube transforms mechanical vibrations into an undesired signal (more noise or feedback)
- recurring (large) costs for replacing tubes and having to set bias correct every X time (in power amps) to be at least near the specs.
- heat dissipation in the cabinet/room
- deterioration starting at the moment you switch things on
- uncontrolled unbalance between channels by degrading/mismatching
- all the talk and fuss about it, the prehistoric myth talk
- space needed to let them breath and not burn your house down
- tube rolling blah blah like: This tube sounds waaay better than that tube. This tube is unobtainium hence sounds incredible.
- Sky high prices for NOS tubes from brand X
- etc. etc.

But they can be very nice to look at. That is why I like 'em!

ORT