Article: Schiit Audio Reference System Review Part 1

[The Computer Audiophile]

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[Mike B.]

"Hopefully Schiit doesn't have plans to release a new series of components call the Schiit Audio reference System"

 

I can see the marketing now: SARS - You'll get the Schiits.

[Trip Oz]

Thanks for the review, was looking forward to your thoughts on the Freya. I actually have one driving a McIntosh MC275 MK VI and surprisingly don't find it outclassed or lacking. It's a stopgap measure until I can replace it with something better, but for the 5-10% better I'll get out of another preamp it will cost me an extra $4-5k.... Law of diminishing returns sucks. I also saw the aluminum remote in another video review and thought it was homebrewed; Shot an email to Schitt before I finished the article requesting one! Two questions for you: Is your chair an Eames? I've been looking at getting one, but sooo damn expensive. Also, any chance you've don'e some tube rolling on the Freya and can comment on your thoughts in the second review? Thanks!

[ZenGentleman]

Excellent Part 1 review, a few typos notwithstanding, and I’m looking forward to Part 2. Did you talk to Mike or Jason about your experience with the Vidar sounding a bit veiled in the mids and highs when you subbed in the CR1s? Could it be an impedance matching issue?

[SuperRoo]

Your review helped me finalize my next Schiit order decision.

Thanks Chris

[Ajax]

 

Hi Chris,

 

"Perhaps the X34 has more energy in these frequencies, giving me the false belief that there is more clarity. I really don't know."

 

I find your honesty and no BS approach to reviewing refreshing - you don't know what you don't know. A few here at CA could take such an approach on board instead of guessing how equipment sounds they have not even heard.

 

 

 

[MikePM]

Really enjoyed the review, but I feel a little left out with your opening comment on the CA audience. 

 

"Given that this site has a large contingent of readers with very high end audio systems and discerning ears, this usually helps narrow the scope of items to address in the review. However, writing for the faithful readers only..."

 

Reading the forums, it seems you have far more readers who are building CAPS servers, and waiting on reviews of the Aurelic Aires mini so they can touch that audiophile sound on their budget.  The quote seems to imply that only owners of high cost equipment are your faithful readers.  I am a regular and long time reader (although an irregular poster), and keep my gear on a tight budget.  When I can, I build my gear and love the sonore's, ifi's, and schiits for the chance to have great sound for less than the cost of car.

 

I would be really surprised if it was any where near the majority of the "faithful readers" who are rocking $10K plus amps, $5k dacs, etc.  More Vidar level gear reviews please.  Thanks for all the info that comes from your efforts.

[Cyrus]

@The Computer Audiophile   

 

Chris, is installing the Gen 5 board as simple as using a screwdriver? Antistatic applied.

 

"Anyone comfortable with a screw driver can handle the upgrade themselves and save the cost of shipping and the time without the product in one's system."

 

Just want to be sure, given Schiit's elaborate verbiage below...which I understand is likely Schiit not Schiitin'  As in, CYA and other legal cover, for the warranty and beyond.

 

"If you’re an experienced electronics technician or engineer who is familiar with ESD precautions, or work with a good tech, you can choose to have the Gen 5 board sent to you directly, fully tested and protected in an antistatic bag. Please note that by selecting this option, you are saying, "Yes, I am, or know, a competent electronics technician who does not need hand-holding for this installation, and I will not allow an inexperienced person to perform the upgrade, since I understand there are no user-serviceable parts inside."

[The Computer Audiophile]

Schiit is covering itself with that message. It’s seriously very simple. About 20 screws in the Yggy, but it’s just busy work, not rocket science. 

[mourip]

4 minutes ago, Cyrus said:

@The Computer Audiophile   

 

Chris, is installing the Gen 5 board as simple as using a screwdriver? Antistatic applied.

 

"Anyone comfortable with a screw driver can handle the upgrade themselves and save the cost of shipping and the time without the product in one's system."

 

Just want to be sure, given Schiit's elaborate verbiage below...which I understand is likely Schiit not Schiitin'  As in, CYA and other legal cover, for the warranty and beyond.

 

"If you’re an experienced electronics technician or engineer who is familiar with ESD precautions, or work with a good tech, you can choose to have the Gen 5 board sent to you directly, fully tested and protected in an antistatic bag. Please note that by selecting this option, you are saying, "Yes, I am, or know, a competent electronics technician who does not need hand-holding for this installation, and I will not allow an inexperienced person to perform the upgrade, since I understand there are no user-serviceable parts inside."

 

I installed the board in my Yggy and it is indeed very easy.

 

Take a look at some good instructions with photos here.

[jventer]

7 hours ago, Trip Oz said:

Thanks for the review, was looking forward to your thoughts on the Freya. I actually have one driving a McIntosh MC275 MK VI and surprisingly don't find it outclassed or lacking. It's a stopgap measure until I can replace it with something better, but for the 5-10% better I'll get out of another preamp it will cost me an extra $4-5k.... Law of diminishing returns sucks. I also saw the aluminum remote in another video review and thought it was homebrewed; Shot an email to Schitt before I finished the article requesting one! Two questions for you: Is your chair an Eames? I've been looking at getting one, but sooo damn expensive. Also, any chance you've don'e some tube rolling on the Freya and can comment on your thoughts in the second review? Thanks!

Re the Eames: Get a copy, they are much cheaper.

[Cyrus]

 

@mourip            Thanks. The link is very helpful in it's detail and images.

[Pietro Cozzi Tinin]

It's a nice setup. I love Schiit.

But... if you use someone else"s pictures it would behoove you to name the source.

Odin412 on Head-Fi.org was a little disappointed.

[The Computer Audiophile]

Odin on Head-Fi was disappointed that I didn’t name the manufacturer as the source of the product images?

[left channel]

The photo of the remotes may be all over Google search now, but it was taken by Odin412 and was first posted to Head-Fi.

[The Computer Audiophile]

Oh wow. I received it from Jason at Schiit via email. I assumed he had taken the photo. 

 

My fault for assuming. 

[Pietro Cozzi Tinin]

No sweat.

I am very happy you configured a Schiit reference stack and look forward to the coming reviews.

Please think about sources like CD transports, Network players etc.

Maybe you can do some AB testing with balanced vs single ended.

Thank you for advocating our favorite Hi-End audio gear.

[left channel]

OK thanks, we'll let Jason know. Luckily for him, Odin412 is a merciful king.

I love the clean dream system here. I learned a lot from this article, thank you.

Right now all I'm hoping for is a "Vidar Mini" to go on my desktop. :-)

[Climber]

Interesting review.  I am definitely looking forward to Pt 2 -- the less expensive system is much more in my target range right now.

[Cyrus]

@The Computer Audiophile  @mourip  

 

I've been holding off on ordering the Gen 5 Board until I had another DAC on hand and I just got notification this morning that the Denafrips Terminator has shipped and should be delivered on Tuesday.

 

Given this, I went ahead and ordered the Gen 5 Board.

 

Thank you for your responses. Good to know the install is simpler than I had expected!!!

[audiophilewannab]

I have the Vidar and Freya, running just one Vidar with Elac Uni Fi Floorstander's, and personally, I prefer the Tube gain stage on the Freya....it seems to 'bloom' with an added dimension....again, a personal preference.  Good to know about the 2 Vidar's working well with a 4 ohm speakers too...Haven't tried it obviously, so I don't know what I don't know about what improvements there might be...but enjoying them as is.  Thanks again for the review!  Looking very much forward to future iterations of this equipment reviews. :-)  

[Ralf11]

any chance you can try theses on some Maggies?

 

and... a comparison to the Benchmark AH2B amp would be really nice...

[ednaz]

20 hours ago, MikePM said:

Really enjoyed the review, but I feel a little left out with your opening comment on the CA audience. 

 

"Given that this site has a large contingent of readers with very high end audio systems and discerning ears, this usually helps narrow the scope of items to address in the review. However, writing for the faithful readers only..."

 

Reading the forums, it seems you have far more readers who are building CAPS servers, and waiting on reviews of the Aurelic Aires mini so they can touch that audiophile sound on their budget.  The quote seems to imply that only owners of high cost equipment are your faithful readers.  I am a regular and long time reader (although an irregular poster), and keep my gear on a tight budget.  When I can, I build my gear and love the sonore's, ifi's, and schiits for the chance to have great sound for less than the cost of car.

 

I would be really surprised if it was any where near the majority of the "faithful readers" who are rocking $10K plus amps, $5k dacs, etc.  More Vidar level gear reviews please.  Thanks for all the info that comes from your efforts.

 

I'm with Mike on this topic, but maybe for a little different reason. I do have one system I call top end, although not top end like $10,000 for each component. Much better stuff than I used to have as a student oh so many years ago, much better than I had when the house was full of kids, but nothing close to what audio media would call top end. However, I also want to have great sound in the three other areas where I spend a lot of time. (Maybe I'd have those ultra-reference components if I only had one system...)

 

I'm a fan of the Aries Mini/Schiit/CAPS reviews for exactly that reason - I want the system in my studio, for example, to be good enough that it can engage me deeply enough to keep my creativity leaping around. My bedroom system pumps me up to start the day, and slides me off to sleep at the end. My office system gets me through the day by urging me to take breaks now and then to listen deeply to some tune or another. Knowing that some of this Schiit can get me a good portion of what I have in my best system is very useful.

 

I also get asked by friends and colleagues about upgrades to their systems, a lot, because they've heard one or more of my systems. Few are in the market for a system that costs more than a year of college for a kid... because they have one or two of those in the near future.  So, I do love reading about the super duper high end reference components... but mostly as a way to benchmark the "good enough" components that I actually buy.

[Kelly]

Go ahead and trust your ears and your fabulous TAD speakers, if you hear a upper-midrange haze then it is probably there. This is consistent with my experience with their headphone amps. I have listened to all of them at various head-fi meets and I just never thought they had the clarity and finesse of the best amps. Your TADs are letting you hear something the lesser Dynaudios are obscuring.

 

I must argue with your editorializing about Class D. I understand this wasn't a review of the Dynaudio Evidence speakers, but if the Dynaudios sounded less than compelling you should provide some context before blaming it on the superb Kaluga monos. Did you swap them out for something more to your preferences and find an improvement? If not then it is a big jump to simply blame the amps.

[Ralf11]

Does anybody think they can build a better system at a lower price without using the Schiitt stuff?