[roadcykler]

Recently I bought a Rekkr, to see what a mighty 2 Watts could do. They're driving large-ish bookshelf speakers with a nominal sensitivity of 89dB/W in a 16ft long by 22ft wide room. It aced the first test: near-field listening at about 3 feet back from the axis of the speakers.

Then to push it to its limits, I moved back to about 12 ft from the speakers and started cranking the Saga pre-amp higher and higher. It went well beyond comfortable listening levels and into "neighbours might call the police" territory. I stopped at about 90% of the Saga's volume, only out of fear for my speakers and eardrums. All from two measly Watts. Incredible. It made me think back to the very ordinary 1990s Pioneer or Kenwood (can't remember) 5.1 amplifier I had years ago. It allegedly had 80 Watts per channel, but after upgrading amps I realised that there were bucketloads of distortion whenever you turned it up loud. So it might be possible that two Schiit Watts goes louder without distortion than 80 Watts from that old clunker!

So if people are nervously wondering "can 2 Watts possibly be enough?" like I was, my experience is that it definitely is.

On another topic, is there any news about the CD transport (Urd)? I read Jason's postmortem on the Sol adventure recently, and it said something like "this type of product is not for us". So I was wondering if that meant the Urd might be canned?

I wish more people understood that and I wish more people understood more watts does not equal better sound, only louder.

 

[ArmchairPhilosopher]

Recently I bought a Rekkr, to see what a mighty 2 Watts could do. They're driving large-ish bookshelf speakers with a nominal sensitivity of 89dB/W in a 16ft long by 22ft wide room. It aced the first test: near-field listening at about 3 feet back from the axis of the speakers.

Then to push it to its limits, I moved back to about 12 ft from the speakers and started cranking the Saga pre-amp higher and higher. It went well beyond comfortable listening levels and into "neighbours might call the police" territory. I stopped at about 90% of the Saga's volume, only out of fear for my speakers and eardrums. All from two measly Watts. Incredible. It made me think back to the very ordinary 1990s Pioneer or Kenwood (can't remember) 5.1 amplifier I had years ago. It allegedly had 80 Watts per channel, but after upgrading amps I realised that there were bucketloads of distortion whenever you turned it up loud. So it might be possible that two Schiit Watts goes louder without distortion than 80 Watts from that old clunker!

So if people are nervously wondering "can 2 Watts possibly be enough?" like I was, my experience is that it definitely is.

Well, there's a reason why that little "kitchen table"-side-gig-slash-passion-project thing that Nelson Pass has going is called First Watt.
Same reason why I'd take an MX-5 over any super and hyper car in a heartbeat: If the first horse power isn't designed to put a smile on your face, then who cares about the other 599.*

Doesn't mean that there aren't any high(er)-powered cars that are capable of putting a smile on your face on the regular and for longer than just the first two weeks of ownership. Some Caymans and Boxters, the 2nd and 5th gen Vipers, the AMG GT, and the C8 Corvettes, among very few others, have certainly earned their place in this world. But if your 800hp, quarter million Dollar super car can't make you smile while you're on a mere grocery run, then what's the point?**

Which is precisely why I own (and remain decidedly crazy about) my outrageously-overpowered-for-what-I-use-them-for Tyrs: a year in, and their first watt still puts a big smile on my face.

So, the undeniable fact of the matter is:
If you design headphone and power amps and you can't make the first one or two watts count for something? Then what the hell are you even doing.

* And anyone who insists that the Miata is a secretary's car either has never actually gone canyon carving in one or has to admit that those secretaries seem to have a better understanding of what makes a good drivers' car than they have themselves. Or they buy their cars for reasons other than to actually enjoy them from behind the wheel. To each their own, of course, we all have to take care of our insecurities in one way or another.
** My personal benchmark for car purchases. And again: You should feel free to have your own.

 

[HWB3]

When I was in fifth grade this one kid stacked pennies on the cartridge end of the tone arm in an attempt to make the Peter Frampton record play louder.

Did it work? ... Lol.

 

[Mr Rick]

I won't mention the manufacturer, but it looks like there is a new tube phono pre on the market. It looks Prima.

 

[KoshNaranek]

Well, there's a reason why that little "kitchen table"-side-gig-slash-passion-project thing that Nelson Pass has going is called First Watt.
Same reason why I'd take an MX-5 over any super and hyper car in a heartbeat: If the first horse power isn't designed to put a smile on your face, then who cares about the other 599.*

Doesn't mean that there aren't any high(er)-powered cars that are capable of putting a smile on your face on the regular and for longer than just the first two weeks of ownership. Some Caymans and Boxters, the 2nd and 5th gen Vipers, the AMG GT, and the C8 Corvettes, among very few others, have certainly earned their place in this world. But if your 800hp, quarter million Dollar super car can't make you smile while you're on a mere grocery run, then what's the point?**

Which is precisely why I own (and remain decidedly crazy about) my outrageously-overpowered-for-what-I-use-them-for Tyrs: a year in, and their first watt still puts a big smile on my face.

So, the undeniable fact of the matter is:
If you design headphone and power amps and you can't make the first one or two watts count for something? Then what the hell are you even doing.

* And anyone who insists that the Miata is a secretary's car either has never actually gone canyon carving in one or has to admit that those secretaries seem to have a better understanding of what makes a good drivers' car than they have themselves. Or they buy their cars for reasons other than to actually enjoy them from behind the wheel. To each their own, of course, we all have to take care of our insecurities in one way or another.
** My personal benchmark for car purchases. And again: You should feel free to have your own.

Miata
Is
Always
The
Answer

 

[Ripper2860]

I won't mention the manufacturer, but it looks like there is a new tube phono pre on the market. It looks Prima.

You sir, are a master of obfuscation.

 

[Ripper2860]

Miata
Is
Always
The
Answer

I'm a bit partial to the new BMW Z4, but it ain't priced like a Miata.

 

[ScotchNeat]

Miata
Is
Always
The
Answer

Unless you're tall and fat like I am. I would totally rock a Miata, but it's just way too cramped.

 

[Mr Rick]

I'm a bit partial to the new BMW Z4, but it ain't priced like a Miata.

I was always enamored by the Saturn Sky. I have no idea whether it was a decent car.

 

[33na3rd]

Humbling experience No. 30,478: finding a hidden bonus disc in a CD that you've owned for almost 16 years.

On the plus side, it was like finding buried treasure!

 

[KoshNaranek]

I'm a bit partial to the new BMW Z4, but it ain't priced like a Miata.

Miata
Is
Always
The
Answer

 

[xTrIpX]

Houdy y'all. To harken back to some earlier discussion on the original Asgard. There were a few members here who were seeking out these units. I've been wondering ever since. Are there any quality characteristics that the Asgard 1 has over the Asgard 2 to make it worth seeking out? I've searched the internet but I haven't been able to find much available info comparing the Asgard 1 with the Asgard 2.

 

[ArmchairPhilosopher]

Houdy y'all. To harken back to some earlier discussion on the original Asgard. There were a few members here who were seeking out these units. I've been wondering ever since. Are there any quality characteristics that the Asgard 1 has over the Asgard 2 to make it worth seeking out? I've searched the internet but I haven't been able to find any available info comparing the Asgard 1 with the Asgard 2.

Asgard 2 beats the OG Asgard in almost every regard. It sounds just about the same, it has a lower noise floor, it's more powerful (I think), it's more efficient and gets less hot, it has a gain switch, and it comes with RCA outs so that you can use it as a pre-amp.

But the OG Asgard is not only the OG Asgard — it is the OG Schiit product.

…and as such, it comes with a certain je ne sais quoi that the Asgard 2 just doesn't have. Or any other piece of Schitt, for that matter.

 

[dhcarquinez]

When I was in fifth grade this one kid stacked pennies on the cartridge end of the tone arm in an attempt to make the Peter Frampton record play louder.

When I was in high school a friend recorded cassettes for use in his car. He would raise the recording levels during each song's crescendo (IE: guitar solo) to save having to turn up the volume during playback.

 

[bildar]

Did it work? ... Lol.

I don't believe it did.