[adias]

Small update: I continue to find 4x works best on my current setup. If/when I get a dedicated DAC (balanced) and new transport, that may change. But, for phono (using Skoll) I really find the 4x is pretty much required; I’m now settled on 70dB gain on Scoll, and even with 4X on Kara… silence (when it’s supposed to be silent).

More dynamics/range, no penalty in noise or dimensionality that I can discern

70dB gain on phono stage and 12dB on Kara… what’s the efficiency of your Apogees?

 

[nephilim32]

Yes my friends. Schiit happened. I’ve welcomed the Kara into my main rig. Very happy with it and I have to say the general impressions most people have on here about the Kara I find are very accurate. It is neutral, incisive and can get pretty punchy when taken out of passive mode, however passive does sound a bit more natural.
I’m not using the Kara in the most typical way. Primarily using the Kara to pre amp other existing headphone amplifiers because headphone listening is #1 for me.
Anyhow. So far this amp is an improvement and integrates so well with my other existing equipment. At this point. I wouldn’t change anything. Pretty happy and I feel the Kara really was that last missing piece I was looking for.
Definitely good Schiit. Excellent value and the remote control is such a killer addition. I don’t have to get up!!!

 

[Kristofa]

After about a month of owning the Kara, I have landed on passive mode for digital and 1x for the turntable. If I am just casually moving between formats, I leave it on 1x but turn it down for digital. If I spend any amount of time in the sweet spot, I make sure it is on passive.

Oh, and I am talking with speakers. I think I have plugged in headphones once since I have owned it.

 

[nephilim32]

Also. The suggestion to add little rubber feet to the remote buttons was a great idea. Better tactility and control of the volume. Very smart. Thank you….whoever you are.

 

[Kristofa]

I found that if you take a Kara remote and an Yggdrasil/Bifrost remote and place them back-to-back, the magnets attach. I keep them attached and have a two-faced Schiit remote…or a two-Schiit-faced remote depending on how I feel that day.

 

[adias]

Yes my friends. Schiit happened. I’ve welcomed the Kara into my main rig. Very happy with it and I have to say the general impressions most people have on here about the Kara I find are very accurate. It is neutral, incisive and can get pretty punchy when taken out of passive mode, however passive does sound a bit more natural.
I’m not using the Kara in the most typical way. Primarily using the Kara to pre amp other existing headphone amplifiers because headphone listening is #1 for me.
Anyhow. So far this amp is an improvement and integrates so well with my other existing equipment. At this point. I wouldn’t change anything. Pretty happy and I feel the Kara really was that last missing piece I was looking for.
Definitely good Schiit. Excellent value and the remote control is such a killer addition. I don’t have to get up!!!

Have you listened to headphones through the Kara headphone port?

 

[nephilim32]

Have you listened to headphones through the Kara headphone port?

Absolutely. So far I have clear impressions on how the Kara is with the LCD XC and the HD 800. Low Gain with the HD 800 is a terrific setting. Great incisiveness with the right amount of punch and quickness. A very nice pairing.
Now on the planar side of things with the LCD XC it gets interesting. Either passive or high gain is excellent. For some reason middle ground (low gain) just isn’t as good as either the passive or high gain setting. Probably the voltage/current output just doesn’t open up the LCD XC’s floodgates if you will, but the other settings do. Don’t believe ASR (Audio Science Review.) Amir basically universally said the Kara craps out using planar headphones. He tested one bloody headphone and it was the DCA Stealth. Yes. The 2nd hardest planar magnetic headphone to drive at 87db efficiency. Of course now all planars are gonna suck on the Kara.
Sometimes Amir bothers me. Anyhow. The LCD XC and the Kara are actually a very very good synergy/pairing. Better than the HD 800 I feel.

Later on. I will definitely get around to trying the D-8000 from final Audio and the Sony MDR-Z7. Family life and work certainly have made time limited for audio fun time. Good old responsibilities.
I’ll post more here in the future. So far though I’m really happy I bought the Kara. It is a nice game changer.

 

[nephilim32]

I found that if you take a Kara remote and an Yggdrasil/Bifrost remote and place them back-to-back, the magnets attach. I keep them attached and have a two-faced Schiit remote…or a two-Schiit-faced remote depending on how I feel that day.

Gives a whole new meaning to describe a two-faced Schiit scenario.

 

[FellowTraveller]

Sure thing!

It is the Dorati conducts Minneapolis (and London) Symphony’s. Recorded in 1957 (London) for The Birds and the Brazilian impressions, and then in 1960 for The Fountains of Rome and The Pines of Rome (Minneapolis). CD released in 1990: D108699 (432 07 02). Here’s pics, the sticker was on it because I got it used from a public library sale…

Thank you so much! I look forward to listening!

 

[adias]

Operating in x1 mode the x4 stage is not powered. I think that the x4 mode benefits from being on 24/7. Doing so I perceive a smoother sound, detailed and with a wide sound stage. It improved significantly from the initial x1 vs x4 comparisons when x4 was turned on after a long time being off. YMMV.

 

[33na3rd]

Operating in x1 mode the x4 stage is not powered. I think that the x4 mode benefits from being on 24/7. Doing so I perceive a smoother sound, detailed and with a wide sound stage. It improved significantly from the initial x1 vs x4 comparisons when x4 was turned on after a long time being off. YMMV.

This is interesting. I had wondered if the 4x mode was unpowered until selected.

 

[nephilim32]

Gave the Kara some larger feet. I don’t think it looks that bad. I like that it gets more height and has better symmetry (looks wise) with the rest of my equipment.

 

[adias]

Gave the Kara some larger feet. I don’t think it looks that bad. I like that it gets more height and has better symmetry (looks wise) with the rest of my equipment.

Doing that for looks or something else?

 

[nephilim32]

Doing that for looks or something else?

Truthfully. For aesthetics and overall symmetry (height balance ) with my other existing equipment. They are vibration dampers for washing machines and dryers. Lol. Only 15 bucks and they kind of match.