[earnmyturns]

I'm saving up for a top-end streamer/dac

Dunno... Buying the best DAC you can afford -- Schiit has a good range -- and driving it from a basic but solid streamer (I use an iFi Zen Stream for my dac2541) gives you a lot more flexibility and I suspect quality/$. Well-regarded streamer/DACs start well above Zen Stream+BF 2/64 and easily go much higher than Yggdrasil+. I'm skeptical of audible streamer benefits above the Zen Stream's price if the DAC is current and well-engineered (which Schiit's DACs are).

 

[ArmchairPhilosopher]

Sage @ArmchairPhilosopher

 

[JamminVMI]

David Burke is doing a remake of 'Connections'

https://arstechnica.com/science/202...ic-sci-doc-series-returns-with-original-host/

I highly recommend the original series and am looking forward to seeing the remake

Thank you! Loved the first series!

 

[jmimac351]

Random (or not) questions... anyone know what the Output Impedances are for these 3 amps?

• Aegir
• Vidar 2
• Tyr

Cc: @Jason Stoddard

Thank you.

 

[Charente]

Okay, so there’s a new Magni… a discrete one that has a modular dac chip option. And I tried it. And it sounds so good! If yall already knew about this then I’ve hyped up a nothing burger but I don’t think I’ve seen it around on here yet.

... and in glorious silver !!

 

[tincanear]

Random (or not) questions... anyone know what the Output Impedances are for these 3 amps?

• Aegir
• Vidar 2
• Tyr

Cc: @Jason Stoddard

Thank you.

generally derivable from damping factor-- divide specified load rating by damping factor. e.g. for Aegir & Vidar 2: 8/100 = .080 ohms, Tyr 8/200 = 0.040 ohms

IMO, stability into a given rated load (look at impedance & phase plots vs frequency for various speakers) is a more important consideration than damping factor, provided damping factor is >= 20 or so. IIRC, there were some 80's or 90's vintage Wilson WATT speakers that had shunt crossovers with an impedance dip to 1 ohm (or even lower???) at ~2kHz that would make some amplifiers unhappy/ unstable.

For a power amp, I look at the design engineer's reputation, size of the heatsinks, size of the power supply (transformer, input choke, filter capacitance, number of regulation stages) and also a -3dB frequency response range well beyond the 20Hz - 20kHz limits.

 

[KoshNaranek]

I recently (last 5 years, ha!) tried to rewatch the original but the recording quality was so low. Still, that show has flavored my perceptions since it aired when I was a wee tot (or a wee-er old fart than I am now).

I realize that watching VHS quality video today is a bit of a chore but the series was a revelation to me. History taught in a way that fitted the way my my mind works.

 

[FLTWS]

Not sure what to make of this but I'll pass it on. Reissued on vinyl no less. It's early Sunday morning here, frost on the ground and dead quiet inside and outside. Maybe the CD version for me?

https://www.washingtonian.com/2023/...merican-frogs/?utm_source=pocket-newtab-en-us

 

[Turcoda]

Alright, this is gonna sound stupid... However, I read reports that some people were using the Tyrs with ribbon headphones without any impedance adapters. We're talking about insanely low ohms here. If true, I believe this would just attest to Schiit's amazing overengineering skills. My question would be whether people think the new Mjolnir 3 would be capable of similar astonishing feats. The technology seems somewhat similar to the Tyrs. I'd love to have a great amp that could run ribbons as well as regular headphones. Thoughts?

 

[adydula]

Whats this ?

Magni Unity !
A Unison (tm) Schiit dac.

$119 2.5 watt headphone amp with a optional Dac. for $189.
Is this all the headphone amp you will ever need ?

Alex

 

[jmimac351]

generally derivable from damping factor-- divide specified load rating by damping factor. e.g. for Aegir & Vidar 2: 8/100 = .080 ohms, Tyr 8/200 = 0.040 ohms

IMO, stability into a given rated load (look at impedance & phase plots vs frequency for various speakers) is a more important consideration than damping factor, provided damping factor is >= 20 or so. IIRC, there were some 80's or 90's vintage Wilson WATT speakers that had shunt crossovers with an impedance dip to 1 ohm (or even lower???) at ~2kHz that would make some amplifiers unhappy/ unstable.

For a power amp, I look at the design engineer's reputation, size of the heatsinks, size of the power supply (transformer, input choke, filter capacitance, number of regulation stages) and also a -3dB frequency response range well beyond the 20Hz - 20kHz limits.

The Damping Factors listed in specs for each of the amps are a ">" spec... so, where does the "greater than" stop? If they are right around 100 and 200, then that sort of answers the question. I was seeking to clarify.

As for a "design engineer's reputation". Does this involve a background check and / or interviews with family? Not everyone gets along with all family members so I guess that could have an impact overall opinion of the circuit design, yet moot. And then, Jason has been known to hit the ripple every now and then... not that there's anything wrong with that! Should height be a factor? Some folks measure themselves against other golfers using height... so could that also be relevant to this conversation? Oh... and then there is the issue of high-Q drivers and why someone might be asking this question about output impedance in the first place. I guess I could measure heatsinks and that would tell me something about the amount of negative feedback used, err - or not. That's sort of like asking about how a car handles and someone starts talking about the radiator. And I'd end up right where I started, with my experience regarding negative feedback as it relates to musicality still unfulfilled... or maybe knowing the actual output impedance would be great to know, so I can compare it with other junk I own, and perhaps uncover a clue about whether I might like it. Cc: @Jason Stoddard

 

[misterpumpy]

Whats this ?

Magni Unity !
A Unison (tm) Schiit dac.

$119 2.5 watt headphone amp with a optional Dac. for $199.
Is this all the headphone amp you will ever need ?

Alex

It’s 189 for the dac included model, but more importantly—did you get a chance to listen? I thought it was pretty damn good!

 

[Les Strat]

Dunno... Buying the best DAC you can afford -- Schiit has a good range -- and driving it from a basic but solid streamer (I use an iFi Zen Stream for my dac2541) gives you a lot more flexibility and I suspect quality/$. Well-regarded streamer/DACs start well above Zen Stream+BF 2/64 and easily go much higher than Yggdrasil+. I'm skeptical of audible streamer benefits above the Zen Stream's price if the DAC is current and well-engineered (which Schiit's DACs are).

I agree with you @earnmyturns
It has been my experience that transducers are the single most important part of the signal chain.
Jason has previously suggested that this is the place where a significant proportion of the overall system’s budget should be spent.
From my very first ‘Hi Fi’ system in the 70s I have always bought the ‘best’ speakers I could afford.
In my very first vinyl system, which just comprised Turntable, integrated amp and speakers, the speakers were about 60% of the total cost.
I think that proportion is even higher in my current system..
They are ‘active’ speakers though, so their high cost does include 3x Class AB power amps per channel.
For digital playback, I have found that the DAC (unsurprisingly) is absolutely critical.
When I first heard an original Yggy about 7 years ago, it was the best DAC I had ever heard, having tried several, so I bought one.
I also tried several streamers, including some very expensive ones, but ended up returning them all and sticking with an old streamer which sounded just as good, on a very revealing system.
Excluding power amps ( as I don’t use them) my very simplistic hierachy of the importance of components in a digital playback system, based on my experience is:
Speakers
DAC
Preamp
Source

Obviously any system is only as good as its weakest link, so care is always needed with matching and component synergy.

For many years, I ran my system without a preamp, using the Yggy OG A2 balanced outputs, direct to active speakers.

The output stage of Yggy A2 must be superb, as it sounded even better than with a Freya S in the signal chain.
We are talking very small differences, but until I needed a preamp ( for multiple sources and a volume control), my preference was no preamp.

 

[Ripper2860]

Not sure what to make of this but I'll pass it on. Reissued on vinyl no less. It's early Sunday morning here, frost on the ground and dead quiet inside and outside. Maybe the CD version for me?

https://www.washingtonian.com/2023/...merican-frogs/?utm_source=pocket-newtab-en-us

Can't wait to hear them live!!

 

[KoshNaranek]

Not sure what to make of this but I'll pass it on. Reissued on vinyl no less. It's early Sunday morning here, frost on the ground and dead quiet inside and outside. Maybe the CD version for me?

https://www.washingtonian.com/2023/...merican-frogs/?utm_source=pocket-newtab-en-us

One of the problems with this thread is finding out about rhings that you never knew you needed