[Nicholas Seltzer]

I'm trying to come up with a solution for both a headphone amp and poweramp. I'll save the details, but I need a poweramp with multiple, selectable inputs. The Schiit Rangarok is an excellent headphone amp that will power speakers with 50W/channel into 8ohms, 100W/channel into 4.

Has anyone used one of these to power somewhat power-hungry floorstanding speakers? I'm thinking to buy a pair of Magnepan 1.7Is.

 

[nvfan]

It only makes sense if you are using them primarily for headphones and backup for speakers. For the price of the ragnarok can you get amps that will do 200-300W/channel and are much more practical for driving a high current low impedence load.

 

[Nicholas Seltzer]

It only makes sense if you are using them primarily for headphones and backup for speakers. For the price of the ragnarok can you get amps that will do 200-300W/channel and are much more practical for driving a high current low impedence load.

I see. That's a good point. Thanks.

 

[nvfan]

https://www.stereophile.com/images/1211990fig16.jpg

https://www.stereophile.com/images/416Schiitfig10.jpg

Just compare the measurements of the Ragnarok to a decent stereo amplifier like the HK990. HK990 belts out over 500 watts/channel into 4 ohms before exceeding 1% THD. The Schitt Ragnarok manages about 65W.

 

[Nicholas Seltzer]

Very interesting. Since you seem to know about both headphones and speaker systems, can I ask you another unrelated question? How good are the DACs in a stereo preamp compared to a standalone DAC like the Gungnir MB?

 

[bagwell359]

Outside of the headphone usage, I have driven a pair of monitors (92 db/spl/watt) in a very well damped room of 24.5'x16.5'x9.25' to very loud levels with the Rag. Also very inefficient mini monitors (84 db) to fine levels - BOTH on the 2nd gain level.

No integrated amp is all things to all people (that Pass 30 watt job certainly has a lot of fans), but of the dozens and dozens of amp/pre-amp combos and integrated amps I've owned, the Rag is very flexible, and does a fine job. It can't match a Pass P/Pass X-300 combo for driving any speaker, but for headphones?

^ the Gumby multibit broke my connection with vinyl forever (12k LP's, Clearaudio straight track, Koetsu Rosewood Sig, Pass Ono, so yeah it's good.