[RedBull]

One downside to the Rag is that it must be used with balanced outs to get the most out of the circlotron circuit. This is very important to keep in mind.

Hi Purrin, is the difference between se and balance is as much different as with hdvd800? I heard hdvd800 myself and found vast difference between se and balance for hd800.

 

[purrin]

Happy end of the world to yea. Hope the Ragnarok makes your headphones sing. I am ordering the Ragnarok at the end of the month. The anticipation is killing me lol.

 
You probably wouldn't get it much sooner if you ordered it now. Didn't Jason say in his blog that they got a few hundred orders already, far surpassing their projections for such an expensive piece.
 

Hi Purrin, is the difference between se and balance is as much different as with hdvd800? I heard hdvd800 myself and found vast difference between se and balance for hd800.

 
It's different in nature. HDVD800 stage gets more expansive, layered, and precise using balanced. With the Rag, I guess I could say the difference is even more profound because it's the balanced outputs of the Rag that really define what it is.
 
Rag SE outs sound flatter. The little instantaneous dynamic contrasts (what I personally feel is the real magic of the Rag) evident in the balanced outs are missing in the SE outs. Headstage also loses its depth with SE outs. I spent a few nights in a row re-terminating all my headphones when I first got the Rag.

 

[reddog]

Wow over 300 Ragnarok have been ordered, I am glad I will not order mine till the end of the month. Perhaps I should wait a bit longer before I order. Thanks for the information Putin.

 

[RedBull]

It's different in nature. HDVD800 stage gets more expansive, layered, and precise using balanced. With the Rag, I guess I could say the difference is even more profound because it's the balanced outputs of the Rag that really define what it is.

Rag SE outs sound flatter. The little instantaneous dynamic contrasts (what I personally feel is the real magic of the Rag) evident in the balanced outs are missing in the SE outs. Headstage also loses its depth with SE outs. I spent a few nights in a row re-terminating all my headphones when I first got the Rag.

Thanks for the input. I ordered Vali mostly because if your comments and it's true that Vali is that good, so i trust you on this.

I think i have to pass Rag for now. One of the reason i dont want to go balance is that i also listen to tv series with my headphones, and my TV is obviously SE. I dont want to keep swapping cables between my tv and my audio systems. I hate cable connection problem.

I was also eyeing on Project Ember or Schiit Lyr 2, but seems like L2 does not get much hype this time, i wonder why.

I know it's an obvious answer most likely, but few words comparison between Rag and Lyr 2 would be much appreciated.

 

[Androb]

 
It's different in nature. HDVD800 stage gets more expansive, layered, and precise using balanced. With the Rag, I guess I could say the difference is even more profound because it's the balanced outputs of the Rag that really define what it is.
 
Rag SE outs sound flatter. The little instantaneous dynamic contrasts (what I personally feel is the real magic of the Rag) evident in the balanced outs are missing in the SE outs. Headstage also loses its depth with SE outs. I spent a few nights in a row re-terminating all my headphones when I first got the Rag.

Hey! I been looking at the HDVA 600 for my LCD-3, heard it on a hifi show balanced. I am close to buying it but then came across the Ragnarok. Seems like you got a little bit of experience between the two. 

Which of the two would you recommend? The Ragnarok does alot, and works with alot of headphones as it seems and even speakers which is cool. Also might be getting HD800 and one of the higher end Hifimans in the future so i'm not only looking for an amp only for the LCD-3!

 

[purrin]

Hard to say because I don't know your preferences, but if you plan on getting one of the higher-end HFMs, the Rag will be a better choice because it will have more power for those inefficient and current hungry low impedance headphones. The downsides of course are that it weighs a ton, requires use of balanced outputs for full sonic potential, and may end up wildly expensive after EU taxes.
 
Qualitatively, the Rag is better then HDVA600 for a variety of reasons. The Rag has much lower output impedance, although you may find the softer more laid back sound of the higher impedance HDVA600 more palatable. I like the HDVA600 very much for the HD800, but didn't think it drove a mid-level HFM, i.e. HE-500 very well. One other concern with HDVA600 is that the amp tended to strongly impart its signature regardless of what DAC I plugged into it. Shoot, I mean it almost sounded the same with a iPhone 5 as with other more capable DACs with the only major difference being compressed soundstage of the iPhone. But again, this could be a good thing. The Rag has much better at slam, microdetail, and dynamic contrast - but this could also be a bad thing. The Rag with a poor quality source does not sound good at all; but that's me talking and I'm kind of a nutjob when it comes to sources.

 

[62ohm]

  Qualitatively, the Rag is better then HDVA600 for a variety of reasons. The Rag has much lower output impedance, although you may find the softer more laid back sound of the higher impedance HDVA600 more palatable. I like the HDVA600 very much for the HD800, but didn't think it drove a mid-level HFM, i.e. HE-500 very well. One other concern with HDVA600 is that the amp tended to strongly impart its signature regardless of what DAC I plugged into it. Shoot, I mean it almost sounded the same with a iPhone 5 as with other more capable DACs with the only major difference being compressed soundstage of the iPhone. But again, this could be a good thing. The Rag has much better at slam, microdetail, and dynamic contrast - but this could also be a bad thing. The Rag with a poor quality source does not sound good at all; but that's me talking and I'm kind of a nutjob when it comes to sources.

 
That explains a lot why when I compared the irDAC, M1 DAC (Musical Fidelity, not Bricasti) and the DAC1 with the HDVA600 I found very little difference.. Well I might get the Rag anyway, depending on its price here. Have you heard the Taurus Mk.2 by any chance?

 

[kphfrail]

Jason has a blog? Is it the "Schiit Happened..." thread, or an entirely different website? If so, can someone link it? Thank you!!

 

[sathyam]

Has anybody compared the Rags with the LAu?

 

[Maxvla]

Maxvla...since you've seemed to have found a sweet spot with your HD800s, can you possibly share some more insight on the improvements/current state of your heavier music listening?  I ask because, having not heard HD800s for myself (albeit very interested), I've been led to believe that heavy/prog metal was a "no-no" for those cans.  Does the Rag make those genres more than just bearable? My past experience in full size cans has been with LCD-2, Denon D2000, and a dabble with HE-500s. While all solid, all left me wanting "more."

Thanks!

I like all music with HD800s. It's not that Rag makes this music more possible on HD800s, just that I like all music better with the Rag/HD800s.

 

[magiccabbage]

 

Eh Purrin did you get a chance to hear the Rag with speakers - 85 or 86 db sensitivity? 

 

[darinf]

  Eh Purrin did you get a chance to hear the Rag with speakers - 85 or 86 db sensitivity? 

Not sure if Purrin has, but I did with 87dB speakers:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/731221/schiit-ragnarok-amplifier/120#post_11020107

 

[Androb]

 

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

Hard to say because I don't know your preferences, but if you plan on getting one of the higher-end HFMs, the Rag will be a better choice because it will have more power for those inefficient and current hungry low impedance headphones. The downsides of course are that it weighs a ton, requires use of balanced outputs for full sonic potential, and may end up wildly expensive after EU taxes.
 
Qualitatively, the Rag is better then HDVA600 for a variety of reasons. The Rag has much lower output impedance, although you may find the softer more laid back sound of the higher impedance HDVA600 more palatable. I like the HDVA600 very much for the HD800, but didn't think it drove a mid-level HFM, i.e. HE-500 very well. One other concern with HDVA600 is that the amp tended to strongly impart its signature regardless of what DAC I plugged into it. Shoot, I mean it almost sounded the same with a iPhone 5 as with other more capable DACs with the only major difference being compressed soundstage of the iPhone. But again, this could be a good thing. The Rag has much better at slam, microdetail, and dynamic contrast - but this could also be a bad thing. The Rag with a poor quality source does not sound good at all; but that's me talking and I'm kind of a nutjob when it comes to sources.

 

Thank you alot! I like a bit more punchy sound so it sounds promising. I also got fully balanced source and a very nice dac (hegel) so I guess the Ragnarok sounds alot more interesting now

 

[magiccabbage]

  Not sure if Purrin has, but I did with 87dB speakers:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/731221/schiit-ragnarok-amplifier/120#post_11020107

Wow - My mind is made up so. Ill be selling my WA2 next year and getting the RAG. If the Yggy gets released around the same time then I will have a DNA Stratus/Rag/Yggy set up. Should be sweet enough

 

[Bonesy Jonesy]

  As mentioned in the last post, I completely agree that what differences there appear to be between these 3 excellent amps will depend not only on listener preference per se but also the overall synergy between the various components in a particular system.  The gs-x mkII has always been regarded as a very transparent and neutral "wire with gain" amp that passes through unchanged whatever is fed to it.    DACs do differ in SQ and it may be that in this particular test, another DAC may have given somewhat different results.  This is certainly an enlightening and informative review, but one must consider that the "rankings" offered only really apply to the components used in this particular comparison.   I'm certainly still looking forward to receiving my gs-x mkII (I'm in the current batch), and should have a chance to hear for myself how this amp works in my own system.   

+1   100% agree with you twsmith.  To get the best out of any hi-end amp it needs a top quality input source preferably balanced.
  
I am currently awaiting for my GS-X Mk2 (placed the order late September) and feel very confident it will sound amazing linked to my Chord Electronics QBD76 DAC in balanced mode linked to HD800's also balanced.   Im not expecting any sibilance at all just great sounding music across all frequencies for all genres especially as the GS-X Mk2 is famous with its "wire with gain" character. 
 
Note that Chord Electronics make some of the best DAC's in the world in all their product range i.e. Qute, Hugo and QBD76.  As I know how all these DAC's sound both with lower specified headphone amps i.e. my Woo WA6 SE and WA3 and the Wee connected to my Chord Electronics Cyan Click integrated amp and Stax 009's (also currently awaiting for the BHSE also ordered late September) and hi end speaker systems Im sure the sound I will hear will be different to Maxvla's experience with the GS-X Mk2 connected to his DAC's.  
 
If you read other threads about the GS-X Mk2 connected to an Ayre QB-9 DAC (also a great DAC for the money) the performance of this combination with the HD800's is apparently amazing. ! 
 
I will also be connecting the GS-X Mk2 (and BHSE) to my turntable system too (Origin Live Resolution with Origin Live Conqueror tonearm running balanced to a Chord Electronics Symphonic phono stage) which I am also expecting to sound amazing for same reason as the DAC set up.  
 
You know the old saying "poor quality source in =  poor quality sound out"….especially with a neutral "wire with gain" amp !