[AppleheadMay]

Since the ink of the signature adds a micron extra thickness you will have a slightly more dampened sound.
It won't make a huge difference but I it will be audible if you connect with platinum balanced cables.

 

[DeweyCH]

Since the ink of the signature adds a micron extra thickness you will have a slightly more dampened sound.
It won't make a huge difference but I it will be audible if you connect with platinum balanced cables.

I'll try to track down some expensive cables and get them signed by Adam Oates. They should have great synergy with the Hull puck.

(OK, I'm done with this goofiness. The pucks thing is a very cool idea)

 

[AppleheadMay]

I'll try to track down some expensive cables and get them signed by Adam Oates. They should have great synergy with the Hull puck.

(OK, I'm done with this goofiness. The pucks thing is a very cool idea)

Goofiness? I was dead serious.

 

[DeweyCH]

Another ignorant question (aren't they all just by definition?): the Lokius at neutral settings bumps up the volume on my output. Do all of the knobs cover the entirety of the audible spectrum? If I crank each one down to, say, 11 o'clock, would that result in an overall decrease in volume but still a signal-neutral output?

 

[tincanear]

Another ignorant question (aren't they all just by definition?): the Lokius at neutral settings bumps up the volume on my output. Do all of the knobs cover the entirety of the audible spectrum? If I crank each one down to, say, 11 o'clock, would that result in an overall decrease in volume but still a signal-neutral output?

is this for SE or balanced connection?

 

[DeweyCH]

is this for SE or balanced connection?

Balanced.

 

[tincanear]

Balanced.

lokius has balanced differential front-end stage, so it uses both phases of the XLR input signal and will be therefore 6dB louder in active mode vs bypassed. SE (RCA) in -> SE (RCA) out does not have such a volume change, as the differential portion of the input gain stage sees no signal on the negative input phase in that situation.

The amount of correction (max +/- dB) varies depending on which band is being corrected.
from the website specs page:
Bands: 20Hz, 120Hz, 400Hz, 2kHz, 6kHz, 16kHz
Adjustment: +/-12dB at 20Hz and 16kHz, +/-9dB at 120Hz and 6kHz, +/-6dB at 400 and 2kHz

So best to compensate using the volume control on pre-amp, HP amp, etc., instead of trying to adjust all six knobs an equal amount.

 

[DeweyCH]

lokius has balanced differential front-end stage, so it uses both phases of the XLR input signal and will be therefore 6dB louder in active mode vs bypassed. SE (RCA) in -> SE (RCA) out does not have such a volume change, as the differential portion of the input gain stage sees no signal on the negative input phase in that situation.

The amount of correction (max +/- dB) varies depending on which band is being corrected.
from the website specs page:
Bands: 20Hz, 120Hz, 400Hz, 2kHz, 6kHz, 16kHz
Adjustment: +/-12dB at 20Hz and 16kHz, +/-9dB at 120Hz and 6kHz, +/-6dB at 400 and 2kHz

So best to compensate using the volume control on pre-amp, HP amp, etc., instead of trying to adjust all six knobs an equal amount.

Thank you for the very detailed response. I’ll probably end up lowering the volume on my source (Tidal on PC). LP From the Lokius with the dB bump and fed by the Bifrost’s 4v balanced signal even my HE6se got uncomfortably loud quickly.

 

[escknx]

I have Lokius hooked to Burson Soloist 3XP and Monolith THX AAA. When I turn on Schiit, there's significant increase in volume on Burson, while Monolith does not feel it. Both have high input impedance, and I can not understand why Burson feels Lokius as a preamp?

 

[tincanear]

I have Lokius hooked to Burson Soloist 3XP and Monolith THX AAA. When I turn on Schiit, there's significant increase in volume on Burson, while Monolith does not feel it. Both have high input impedance, and I can not understand why Burson feels Lokius as a preamp?

when fed from a true balanced XLR source (e.g. DAC) Lokius is differential balanced in "process" active mode, while it is straight-wire-like balanced in "bypass" mode, so it will be 6dB louder when switched in. With SE (RCA) in and SE (RCA) out, Lokius will not have this volume jump when switching between "bypass" straight-wire and the "process" active mode.

how is Lokius connected to your source and the HP amplifiers? via balanced (XLR) or single-ended (RCA)? for both input and outputs?

Burson may have a true balanced / differential input stage, while the Monolith AAA may be only using one phase of the balanced (XLR) input.

 

[Omniscient]

I just received my Lokius a few days ago and so far I'm loving it much more than I ever expected. It perfectly fits my use case both as a switch box between my dac and my turntable while providing me EQ whenever I'm in the mood for it. I initially expected there to be a slight decrease in sound quality with the addition of a device like this in the chain, but to my surprise it actually got better regardless of using EQ or not. Simply because I am now able to use the balanced outputs on my Bifrost 2. The soundstage is surprisingly wider and the imaging within it more holographic despite the fact that the rest of my setup (an asgard 3 and the lokius included) is all single ended internally. For what ever reason this is, I don't know. The rumors about the bifrost 2's balanced output being better have been proven true in my opinion, but I digress.

This is an awesome device. I like that it has 6 individual adjustments, a simple design. It works nicely especially for some of my older, not so well balanced sounding headphones like my q701's. The only thing I wish it really had was a Left/Right volume level adjustment knob. This would have been the icing on the cake for me as I have certain issues that cause me to have frequent hearing issues as well as some of my turntable pre amps having a slight channel mis match. Although this is far from a deal breaker for a device like this. Over all, I'm glad I purchased the Lokius.

 

[AppleheadMay]

Well, I'm gonna have my Lokius either tonight or tomorrow here in Europe.
Price? 1 Lokius + 1 pair of Pyst XLR + shipping + VAT + import + handling import = 442 Euro.
Without the Pyst it would have been about 390 Euro.
I wish they blew up the EU.

 

[escknx]

when fed from a true balanced XLR source (e.g. DAC) Lokius is differential balanced in "process" active mode, while it is straight-wire-like balanced in "bypass" mode, so it will be 6dB louder when switched in. With SE (RCA) in and SE (RCA) out, Lokius will not have this volume jump when switching between "bypass" straight-wire and the "process" active mode.

how is Lokius connected to your source and the HP amplifiers? via balanced (XLR) or single-ended (RCA)? for both input and outputs?

Burson may have a true balanced / differential input stage, while the Monolith AAA may be only using one phase of the balanced (XLR) input.

Yes looks like this is the reason.

Schiit is XLR connected to both.

 

[escknx]

Actually Burson is louder about 6db when I switch from RCA to XLR and then another +6db when I turn EQ switch on.
Monolith gets +6 boost when I switch from RCA to XLR but not when I turn on EQ switch.

 

[AppleheadMay]

Got the Lokius in a few hours ago and sandwiched it between the Bifrost and Jot, no hum at all.
No difference with EQ off or on and all flat, nice.
Got both balanced and SE in- and outputs connected, no difference in level for me when I switch between them.
Nothing running hot (but the CV181 tube of course) after 2 hours of use as well, the Jot actually runs cooler stacked on the Lokius than on the Bifrost. Sweet!

Played Kid Rock at "Rock Am Ring" (Nurnburg 2008) from YouTube just to test if I could make it sound better.
Source was Mac USB through a Topping D10S -> coaxial to the Bifrost.
Tried with both the Jot and Lyr 3 with a HD820. Sounded great and really liked what I could do with it.
On top of that it looks good and now my stack of Schiit is a tower of Schiit.

It's a keeper!