Schiit Happened: The Story of the World's Most Improbable Start-Up

[Jason Stoddard]

Great read, thanks!
Is Rag2 class AB like Vidar?

Yep.

Basically, if there's no "claim," (Class A, Continuity, Alternate Physics Power Producing Class Z, etc), assume Class AB.

Class B isn't practical for audio amps, Class C is for very specific applications, Class D is usually labeled, or can be pegged by the fact that it's the size of a Magni and claiming "100 watts", Class G/H they're gonna brag about because it's hard to do well.

 

[MarkF786]

Nope, no more fails than usual. Looking at the thread, seems like there's a problem with buttons getting misaligned in shipping.

You guys know we have a serious QC procedure for all products, including instrumented and listening tests (yes, 100% instrument, 100% listening on ALL products), 24-hour burn-in, recheck, etc? I am currently in CA and I haven't seen anything amiss. Cam is very fast to let me know if there is any unusual amount of failures in any product.

Thanks for the reply, but I was referring to failed channels, dead amps, etc; the misaligned buttons are more minor. In any case, I just wanted to provide a 'heads up' to keep an ear out for any increase in defects.

 

[Paladin79]

Oh gawd I should have put this in! Class A won't vary. SE can't. Push-pull can't. Complementary won't, until it's past its Class A bias.

Thank you!


If you do this, I'm up for replicating it at the Schiitr.

Sounds good, I could easily do tube vs solid state, getting enough people involved that might know amp classifications might only involve my local group only lol. I just did a DAC comparison so I may need to lay low until students are gone for Spring break. In case you did not catch it the Yggy + OG finished in the top five out of sixteen DACS.

 

[Bonehead7171]

Yep.

Basically, if there's no "claim," (Class A, Continuity, Alternate Physics Power Producing Class Z, etc), assume Class AB.

Class B isn't practical for audio amps, Class C is for very specific applications, Class D is usually labeled, or can be pegged by the fact that it's the size of a Magni and claiming "100 watts", Class G/H they're gonna brag about because it's hard to do well.

I was under the impression that Naim's sound and claim to fame centers around a Class B bias. I heard some Naim stuff fairly recently with some great speakers - not my thing really....

 

[Jason Stoddard]

Sounds good, I could easily do tube vs solid state, getting enough people involved that might know amp classifications might only involve my local group only lol. I just did a DAC comparison so I may need to lay low until students are gone for Spring break. In case you did not catch it the Yggy + OG finished in the top five out of sixteen DACS.

That's cool, and I did miss it! Do you have a link to results?

We would definitely have to bring in Class A and tube and Class D, but I'm up for replicating.

 

[Jason Stoddard]

Thanks for the reply, but I was referring to failed channels, dead amps, etc; the misaligned buttons are more minor. In any case, I just wanted to provide a 'heads up' to keep an ear out for any increase in defects.

Nope, nothing like that here. If anything, the second run has had less internal fails.

 

[adydula]

I think many of us have already done this tube vs solid state listening testing and differences in Class amps in listening as well.
We may have not know this at the time or even thought of it.
Many of us compare one amp to another and comment etc.
Most of the time I dont state "hey this class a amp sounds better or different than that Class AB amp etc.."
I reviews I often state the Class just for inclusion and accuracy.
Many folks do say and think a certain class is better or sounds better due to the amp being on all the time and the droop thing..
Good or bad, right or wrong..very subjective.

Be fun to do some listening, good for a beer meet and share stuff with friends...
But I think sonically...well.....
Beauty is in the "ear" of the beholder!

:>)

 

[Paladin79]

That's cool, and I did miss it! Do you have a link to results?

We would definitely have to bring in Class A and tube and Class D, but I'm up for replicating.

I will PM you the results, I believe 46 people took part, scores were based on 25 criteria. Just like a wine that might rate a 95, it is a number system that we can refer to down the road. I will listen to the top five at home on my system before choosing the one I like best, I reversed number three and four compared to the overall group average.

 

[45longcolt]

I do understand the intellectual appeal of Class A, the "purity" of the approach. I've always likened it to running your cars engine at full throttle/redline all the time, even when stopped at a light. You would have all the power instantly available, no delay while you build revs. Totally impractical, of course, but fun to daydream about.

When it comes to a topology comparo, is such a thing really possible to do? For a start, a well-executed Class A/B unit is going to smoke a poorly-designed Class A amp pretty much every time. So, how ya gonna choose which brand to best represent each class? I'd think this will be especially true with tubes, given the disparity between classic (nostalgic?) tubey-sounding amps and more modern designs that strive to go light on the syrup. Not to mention the potential for unfortunate interactions between amps and speaker. Or the other associated components; just how revealing are they? What music are you using? But, hey, it still could make for an interesting evening.

 

[adydula]

I do understand the intellectual appeal of Class A, the "purity" of the approach. I've always likened it to running your cars engine at full throttle/redline all the time, even when stopped at a light. You would have all the power instantly available, no delay while you build revs. Totally impractical, of course, but fun to daydream about.

When it comes to a topology comparo, is such a thing really possible to do? For a start, a well-executed Class A/B unit is going to smoke a poorly-designed Class A amp pretty much every time. So, how ya gonna choose which brand to best represent each class? I'd think this will be especially true with tubes, given the disparity between classic (nostalgic?) tubey-sounding amps and more modern designs that strive to go light on the syrup. Not to mention the potential for unfortunate interactions between amps and speaker. Or the other associated components; just how revealing are they? What music are you using? But, hey, it still could make for an interesting evening.

Its in that "poorly designed" definition....how the heck can u begin to define what "poorly designed" really is.
Its like a never ending sonic black hole IMO..

This crazy hobby is in deed crazy at times!!
Love it!

:>)

 

[Paladin79]

I think many of us have already done this tube vs solid state listening testing and differences in Class amps in listening as well.
We may have not know this at the time or even thought of it.
Many of us compare one amp to another and comment etc.
Most of the time I dont state "hey this class a amp sounds better or different than that Class AB amp etc.."
I reviews I often state the Class just for inclusion and accuracy.
Many folks do say and think a certain class is better or sounds better due to the amp being on all the time and the droop thing..
Good or bad, right or wrong..very subjective.

Be fun to do some listening, good for a beer meet and share stuff with friends...
But I think sonically...well.....
Beauty is in the "ear" of the beholder!

:>)

I am more involved with blind listens with large groups of people. YMMV. Being older I especially like to get younger listeners involved since I am doing well to hear above 15khz.

 

[Paladin79]

I do understand the intellectual appeal of Class A, the "purity" of the approach. I've always likened it to running your cars engine at full throttle/redline all the time, even when stopped at a light. You would have all the power instantly available, no delay while you build revs. Totally impractical, of course, but fun to daydream about.

When it comes to a topology comparo, is such a thing really possible to do? For a start, a well-executed Class A/B unit is going to smoke a poorly-designed Class A amp pretty much every time. So, how ya gonna choose which brand to best represent each class? I'd think this will be especially true with tubes, given the disparity between classic (nostalgic?) tubey-sounding amps and more modern designs that strive to go light on the syrup. Not to mention the potential for unfortunate interactions between amps and speaker. Or the other associated components; just how revealing are they? What music are you using? But, hey, it still could make for an interesting evening.

We used Focal Utopia headphones for our DAC comparison and four tube amps I designed. Now I want to hear the top five at home on my system, same headphones and headphone amp but with a Freya + using tubes I really like as well Cary, PrimaLuna, and a tube power amp I designed going into Sonus Faber speakers. Two of the amps are pure class A and the PrimaLuna is most likely AB but above all they have a sound I really like.

My biggest thing when I am choosing say a DAC, I want to get as much gear in one place as I can so I hear one DAC compared to another, maybe I could do this in some audio stores on the East or West coast, or maybe in Chicago or Indy but then I might hear 5-10 DACS, and some that offer better margins to the retailers.

 

[adydula]

@Jason Stoddard

What kind of warranty would a Mjolnir 3 have?

I had one of those Asgard OG's back then.
Hot!
Yes sir it was HOT.

Wonder what the case will look like?
Lots of holes for the hot air to escape?

Would love to hear a Mjolnir 3 listen with the Jot 2.

:>)
Alex

 

[paradoxper]

Mjolnir 3 *Ears perk*

I hope we see at least another circlotron topology in the future.

 

[Jason Stoddard]

@Jason Stoddard

What kind of warranty would a Mjolnir 3 have?

I had one of those Asgard OG's back then.
Hot!
Yes sir it was HOT.

Wonder what the case will look like?
Lots of holes for the hot air to escape?

Would love to hear a Mjolnir 3 listen with the Jot 2.

:>)
Alex

Same warranty as the old Asgard: 5 years.

Fun fact: I have an old Asgard that has been running probably about 80% of the time for the last 12 years. It's still going. They run hot, but they're plenty reliable. And we can always still fix them.