[ra990]

I didn't really use this schiit for headphones until recently. The considerations for a speaker system are so very different than for headphones. This thread is invaluable for that.

I don't really understand the HD6xx, Focal Elear/Clear whatchamacallit and v-shape, pear-shape, u-shape frequency response talk. I still don't understand why headphones come in 16/32/80/150/300 ohm varieties when speakers come in only two ohm varieties, 4 and 8.

My gumby is fed from a Lyngdorf digital preamp into Odyssey Stratos monoblocks into some Janszen zA2.1. The preamp is also my crossover and I use a Vidar to power a pair of TBI Magellans. I have another system slowly inching towards life consisting of a Sonos, Bifrost, B&W M-1 and an amp whose name I can't remember. I've used Belles, Episode, Krell, Parasound, Leon and RBH for amplification. Not at all the names that are common in headphone land.

Nothing like a headphone setup. I went to a headphone meet once and it was like being in a foreign country. I did get to hear some Blue Hawaiians, I think, and some other pricey stuff.

I see, so this is really the Schiit two-channel speaker system clubhouse. Two channel clubhouse would imply headphones too! When I think two channel, I think stereo and not surround sound. Us Rag owners are happy to have a device that drives the hell out of both headphones and speakers. I have a pair of highly efficient Klipsch Cornwall III in my basement that I'm using in my home theater but I'm so tempted to bring them up to my office and use them with the Rag 2, they'd be such a perfect pairing. But, those huge speakers in my small office would be a waste.

 

[Rensek]

I see, so this is really the Schiit two-channel speaker system clubhouse. Two channel clubhouse would imply headphones too! When I think two channel, I think stereo and not surround sound. Us Rag owners are happy to have a device that drives the hell out of both headphones and speakers. I have a pair of highly efficient Klipsch Cornwall III in my basement that I'm using in my home theater but I'm so tempted to bring them up to my office and use them with the Rag 2, they'd be such a perfect pairing. But, those huge speakers in my small office would be a waste.

From what I can tell most people consider 2ch or two channel to mean speaker listening, specifically 2 speakers in stereo arrangement, regardless of whether or not subs are integrated in the setup. It does not comprise home theater rigs, and all of their various formats.

HP listening aka personal audio is generally separate from 2ch.

I have a 2 ch rig in my basement, garage and living room.

I have a hp setup in my home office area.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/schiit-ragnarok-amplifier.731221/

The Ragnarok thread is all things
Ragnarok both 1 & 2, and both 2 ch and hp usage.

When I find a thread I like, I watch it, Head Fi's search function sucks.

let me know if you want links to the yggy, asgard 3, and bifrost 2 threads, or Mikes thread if you dont frequent that.

 

[ScubaMan2017]

Hello. Thought I'd share because you mention much of the system I've been assembling over the past couple of years. To set the stage, started with an old Panasonic clock radio and occasional Sonos Play speaker. So the bar was pretty low. After learning about Schiit and embracing Jason and Mike's story, decided to build something much more special. Got a Sonos Connect to feed a Loki Mini, to a Saga +, to a Vidar, to a pair of Magnepan LRS speakers. An amazing system for not much more than what you might buy at Best Buy. Better quality than anything they offer though. Then when Schiit offered the Bifrost Multibit on clearance, decided give that a try. Low price entry in to the world of separate (multibit) DAC's. This made the system much more revealing and enjoyable to listen to.

And then yesterday happened - Replaced the Bifrost with a Yggdrasil GS; which just arrived. This upgrade, even without a proper burn-in, is simply stunning. Hearing all kinds of new depth and precision - strings vibrate, singers breathe, and live performances are like they're here. The LRS speakers are very open and my system has really come alive with the Yggy.

Anyway - just thought I'd share because the Saga / Vidar / Magnepan LRS ($795/pair) work exceptionally well together, and to my ears are just amazing. Good luck with your final Schiit purchase!

Those Magnepan are strange beasts. Ribbon speakers. I saw them in a local showroom and I couldn't get my brain around it. A flat speaker. No copper coils?! I like it.

 

[artur9]

Those Magnepan are strange beasts. Ribbon speakers. I saw them in a local showroom and I couldn't get my brain around it. A flat speaker. No copper coils?! I like it.

I used to own a pair. One needs a lot of room for them as their dipole nature makes it a requirement that they be pretty far from the front wall (i.e. behind them, away from the listening position). They always sound like an open air band.

A classmate of my wife's had a lot of beer one time and spent the evening trying to figure out how they work. His expression was priceless.

 

[artur9]

I see, so this is really the Schiit two-channel speaker system clubhouse. Two channel clubhouse would imply headphones too! When I think two channel, I think stereo and not surround sound.

IIRC, there was a few pages of such discussion at the beginning of this thread. It's old lingo to call "speaker systems" "two channel" and other things other things.

I wonder what they called headphone-based systems in the fifties?

 

[rkw]

When I think two channel, I think stereo and not surround sound.

That is exactly how the term "two channel" came about. Starting from the 1990's, consumers began converting their audio systems to home theater. It was inevitable as consumers want a single system in their living room that they can use for both music and video. Home theater was a tidal wave that swept the industry, and audio enthusiasts began using the term "two channel" (as opposed to multi-channel) to distinguish systems that are dedicated to playing music.

 

[Varejao17]

I wonder what they called headphone-based systems in the fifties?

Painful

 

[ScubaMan2017]

I used to own a pair. One needs a lot of room for them as their dipole nature makes it a requirement that they be pretty far from the front wall (i.e. behind them, away from the listening position). They always sound like an open air band.

A classmate of my wife's had a lot of beer one time and spent the evening trying to figure out how they work. His expression was priceless.

I wass confused by the demonstration set. And I was sober. Unfortunately, I we live in a condominium WITH housepanthers. The little bastards would mark it with their claws. Until I have my own, physically separate man cave, Saga/Vidar/Maggies are on hold. Ah well...

 

[Rensek]

I wass confused by the demonstration set. And I was sober. Unfortunately, I we live in a condominium WITH housepanthers. The little bastards would mark it with their claws. Until I have my own, physically separate man cave, Saga/Vidar/Maggies are on hold. Ah well...

When my Maggies arrive I'll hook em up to Saga and Vidar and do a Zoom with you.

 

[artur9]

I wass confused by the demonstration set. And I was sober. Unfortunately, I we live in a condominium WITH housepanthers. The little bastards would mark it with their claws. Until I have my own, physically separate man cave, Saga/Vidar/Maggies are on hold. Ah well...

Clearly, you need an electric fence and mini Maggies: https://www.magnepan.com/model_mini_maggie

 

[Mikem53]

Is it just me, or do other Freya+ owners find themselves listening more in passive mode than buffer or tubes.. ?
I usually start playing music while my amp is warming up.. this usually takes about an hour or more.. So I keep the Freya in passive
mode as I’m not sitting in the sweet spot listening.. I get drawn in on certain songs and end up sitting for a couple hours never bothering to
turn the tube section on.. all the while enjoying it immensely.. I do find the tubes to be more open and airy.. but it’s not dramatic, at least not with
my current tubes.. I’m using some Crome top Sylvania tubes and have several NOS quads, also tried some new production JJ and tunsol..
Im pleased it all sounds so good in any mode.. I used a TVC Django passive for many years.. schitt did a nice job with the passive volume control..
Good Schitt !

 

[Varejao17]

Mostly tubes here.

 

[srserl]

Is it just me, or do other Freya+ owners find themselves listening more in passive mode than buffer or tubes.. ?
I usually start playing music while my amp is warming up.. this usually takes about an hour or more.. So I keep the Freya in passive
mode as I’m not sitting in the sweet spot listening.. I get drawn in on certain songs and end up sitting for a couple hours never bothering to
turn the tube section on.. all the while enjoying it immensely.. I do find the tubes to be more open and airy.. but it’s not dramatic, at least not with
my current tubes.. I’m using some Crome top Sylvania tubes and have several NOS quads, also tried some new production JJ and tunsol..
Im pleased it all sounds so good in any mode.. I used a TVC Django passive for many years.. schitt did a nice job with the passive volume control..
Good Schitt !

I spent the 1990s chasing passive preamp perfection, but only came to the conclusion that passive seems 'flat' sounding and active (tubes or ss) give more dimensionality to the music. I listen about 50/50 ss/tubes on my Freya+.

 

[Btarr]

Is it just me, or do other Freya+ owners find themselves listening more in passive mode than buffer or tubes.. ?
I usually start playing music while my amp is warming up.. this usually takes about an hour or more.. So I keep the Freya in passive
mode as I’m not sitting in the sweet spot listening.. I get drawn in on certain songs and end up sitting for a couple hours never bothering to
turn the tube section on.. all the while enjoying it immensely.. I do find the tubes to be more open and airy.. but it’s not dramatic, at least not with
my current tubes.. I’m using some Crome top Sylvania tubes and have several NOS quads, also tried some new production JJ and tunsol..
Im pleased it all sounds so good in any mode.. I used a TVC Django passive for many years.. schitt did a nice job with the passive volume control..
Good Schitt !

Interesting. I do think the Freya +, in the passive modes sounds very good but I'm finding that despite that I'm still gravitating award the tubes. In fact I'm starting feel guilty because I'm also watching TV with the tubes ON. At first the excuse I told my self was: "Well, tubes gotta' burn in.." but I'm about 200hrs into some PSVANE-UKs - I know, I know! But I'm finding them to be really good Left Side tubes in the Freya+. These PSVANE-UKs bring weight to all the sound except they lack high end detail. The thing is, is that they have the decency to get out of the way of the Right Side tubes, and as of yesterday that's a pair of Sylvania JAN CHS 6SN7WGT (1958), AND boom, delicate detail in the highs with weight and density everywhere else appropriately distributed.

All that said I'm new to tubes and the novelty of a 40-60 year old bit of glass and wire, the little texture differences NOS tube bring, does NOT look like it's going anywhere soon. So I'm still easily impressed.

 

[ScubaMan2017]

Apropo of nothing:
Has anyone tried out these odd, omnidirectional speakers with a Schiit Vidar? I won't be able to purchase a 2-channel rig until we move out of Fawlty Towers (this condo). I can still muse, ponder, and bs...

https://ohmspeaker.com/speakers/walsh-tall/#wt-1000

Prices start at $1000 USD and I find that reasonable. 6-8 week build time? I'm intrigued...