[Barone Birra]

The only thing that confuses me is the name. Why is it called PEQ if it's no parametric EQ?
Did I miss something?

Maybe is Professional EQ

 

[monkuboy]

I haven’t gone through all the posts here so if this has been addressed here before I apologize. The one thing I would change on my Loki Max is the knobs. Impossible to see the center mark from my listening position. I would like to change them out but I’m afraid I might damage it if I just pry them off. Has anyone done this? Also, what size is the knob shaft?

Same issue I had with mine. Look on page one of this thread for a solution. I did the same thing - cut an adhesive label very thin and taped it on the center of each knob as a marker. It did the trick.

 

[rkindel]

Same issue I had with mine. Look on page one of this thread for a solution. I did the same thing - cut an adhesive label very thin and taped it on the center of each knob as a marker. It did the trick.

Well, I did that as well using decals but I ran into the problem of keeping it centered all the way down. Unlike many designs these don’t provide a way to tell where the center of the knob is.

 

[ChJL]

I bought the Loki Max as an insurance device for future HPs and "those kind of tracks" which need help.
A couple of months back I got a SolP. I bought it for "those kind of tracks/genre" within my collection. That works and thanks to Loki Max, SolP also works with other/regular tracks and other HPs combined with it work with "those kind of tracks" as well.
Confusing, maybe... but given I don't use PC, Roon or software the LM is an important piece in my nicely developing set up.
If it doesn't breake we shall be friends spending quite a lot of time to come.

 

[Rayski]

Absolute Sound Loki Max

Haven't read the review yet, but thought I'd share it while it's fresh. My initial thought having subscribed to Absolute Sound for years is 'they're reviewing Schiit? Don't they know Schiit doesn't make anything over $2K?' Second thought, maybe I should've read the review first as maybe AS is going to use this to dump on the whole affordable HiFi market.

 

[Rayski]

Absolute Sound Loki Max

Haven't read the review yet, but thought I'd share it while it's fresh. My initial thought having subscribed to Absolute Sound for years is 'they're reviewing Schiit? Don't they know Schiit doesn't make anything over $2K?' Second thought, maybe I should've read the review first as maybe AS is going to use this to dump on the whole affordable HiFi market.

Finally went and read the 'review'. Turns out it isn't a review but a recognition to a previous review (from June '23) which was very positive and guessing old new on this Loki thread.

 

[nwavesailor]

I never saw the June, '23 review until today, thanks!

 

[Rayski]

@Jason Stoddard question for you if you please. I'm a very happy owner of a Mjolnir-3 and a Vidar-2. I am considering adding a Lokius to my stack. In your FAQ for the Lokius you write "Lokius is an inductor-capacitor equalizer. Meaning it uses inductors. Inductors are coils of wire. Think of them like little antennas. They will pick up stray magnetic field from other components if they are too close." And in the FAQ for the Vidar-2 you write "It has serious power reserves, with a 600VA transformer and 40,000uF of filter capacitance..."

Due to the limitations of my space, the Lokius would have to sit next to (not on top of) the Vidar 2, maybe 3-4" of clear space between them. Is that what you'd consider too close? Thanks in advance.

 

[tlcocks]

I am going to update here as it’s relevant the addition of a new McIntosh piece, MQ112. It’s a made for audiophiles and home hi fi playback high end analog EQ with both unbalanced and balanced connectivity for maximum versatility. It goes for a cool 3 grand. I haven’t heard it yet, but I’m told by friends at Audiogon that it sounds spectacular. I have heard it is easily better than Loki Max. When the first chance comes along I’ll give it a listen.

 

[jmimac351]

I have heard it is easily better than Loki Max. When the first chance comes along I’ll give it a listen.

You've heard from multiple people that have heard both components and listened to them for extended periods of time in their own system with music they are familiar with... or were these just conclusions / assumptions others came to "on the interwebs" (based on whatever reason)? The reason I ask is... it seems unlikely to be "common knowledge" that the Mac is better, or not... how many people have heard both? It would be interesting to test drive both, for sure.

I've gotten to the point where I really don't care much about what others think regarding equipment (or anything else). I will sample for myself. I've experienced people essentially believing 2+2=3, because to believe otherwise would mean "their chosen equipment is maybe not so great"... and people can be funny about defending "their gear" when faced with the possibility that it's maybe not so great after all...

People can be "funny", period.

 

[dwest1023]

Interestingly, there is the new MAC EQ for sale on audiogon. In the comments the owner complains that the EQ interferes, with the sound from his tube pre. Says some of the tube magic is gone with it in his system. I have no such problem with my Loki max. Based on that it does not sound like the mac blows anything away.

 

[tlcocks]

Don’t know. Wanna hear it though. I will listen to any hardware balanced EQ I can get my hands on. Out of sheer curiosity. I know from personal experience that when you find a keeper in this department it ups your game (and your enjoyment) immensely. I am a huge proponent of studio grade high end balanced analog EQ. It’s the cats meow!

 

[tlcocks]

I refer y’all to the thread Equalizer in a Hi Fi System at Audiogon. We had one heck of a good discussion there.

 

[jmimac351]

Don’t know. Wanna hear it though. I will listen to any hardware balanced EQ I can get my hands on. Out of sheer curiosity. I know from personal experience that when you find a keeper in this department it ups your game (and your enjoyment) immensely. I am a huge proponent of studio grade high end balanced analog EQ. It’s the cats meow!

I'm playing with an RME ADI-2 DAC FS... a very different piece than what is discussed here; however, "playing with some EQ" has been fun (and why I'm poking around the Loki Max). The RME has been interesting in some good (and bad) ways. I think I've come to the conclusion that I like it best WITH my Ayre KX-5 Twenty preamp, rather than using the RME direct (as a Preamp & DAC). Overall, it's been fun and I'll very likely keep it because it's just so flexible to use with different setups.

Good luck with the Mac hunt.

 

[nwavesailor]

I have had the Max since it was introduced and have no need for another (or different) EQ.
This is audio and there is always a new shiney object, such as the Mq112.They seem to be back ordered so not as easy as forking over $3K and doing a A/B until these are in stock. I did see the used one on Audiogon but read the warranty and it is not transferable so I'll relax and continue to enjoy the Max.

I would consider buying the MQ 112 but only with a home trial to go head to head with the Max. If I preferred the McIntosh I’d keep it and sell the Max.

If I can’t find a McIntosh dealer with a return policy (Schitt has one) then I am less inclined to take a $3K gamble and a non-transferable warranty to the next owner of the MQ 112.