senorx Posted January 20, 2018 Share Posted January 20, 2018 I wish the guy under the bridge would've stayed there. SuperRoo 1 Vinyl is a hugely overpriced way to get flawed sound. Digital is an inexpensive way to get less flawed (though flawed nonetheless) sound. Link to comment
Popular Post barrows Posted January 20, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted January 20, 2018 4 hours ago, GUTB said: As far being an ultra-high-end amp, everyone already knows that's not true, and this review does admit that much but indirectly and with the apparent intent to minimize the difference. While such might be apparent to YOU, I took nothing like this away from the review. You clearly have some kind of weird agenda. You are reading your OWN ideas into things. Chris described what he heard, that is what I received from the review. I do not expect Chris to give up his Constellation reference gear anytime soon for Schiit! And what does anything said on Schiit's website have to do with this review, nothing! Chris did not quote their Hyperbole, only YOU did. There is nothing wrong with Schiit gear, they provide some nice, entry level, audio components. If the audio industry is lucky (and I am a member of that) the existence of Schiit will allow for the entry of more people into the high end world. And later, after those folks might have made some money, perhaps they will move up to higher performing gear. This is a good thing! ShawnC, The Computer Audiophile and mav52 2 1 SO/ROON/HQPe: DSD 512-Sonore opticalModuleDeluxe-Signature Rendu optical with Well Tempered Clock--DIY DSC-2 DAC with SC Pure Clock--DIY Purifi Amplifier-Focus Audio FS888 speakers-JL E 112 sub-Nordost Tyr USB, DIY EventHorizon AC cables, Iconoclast XLR & speaker cables, Synergistic Purple Fuses, Spacetime system clarifiers. ISOAcoustics Oreas footers. SONORE computer audio | opticalRendu | ultraRendu | microRendu | Signature Rendu SE | Accessories | Software | Link to comment
AudioDoctor Posted January 21, 2018 Share Posted January 21, 2018 "It's literally five below here in Minneapolis. Last night, there was literally sideways snow." HAHAHA, he isn't kidding folks. The Computer Audiophile 1 No electron left behind. Link to comment
Ralf11 Posted January 21, 2018 Share Posted January 21, 2018 so, it warmed up, eh? The Computer Audiophile 1 Link to comment
Popular Post Madra Posted January 21, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted January 21, 2018 11 hours ago, GUTB said: Devastating when reading into what isn’t said about it. Very positive if taken at face value. The TAD CR1s are amongst the best standmounts in the world. They weigh 100 lbs and are considered a value in the world of high-end speakers at $40k. A linear A/B power doubling dual mono amp should drive the CR1s just fine — except if the amp just can’t handle the phase swings / instant current / impedance peaks / etc of a high-end, high-performance loudspeaker. Looks like the review relied on finding a high-performance speaker match which was found with the Sopras. Of course, the vast majority of people interested in the Vidar would never consider $9k speakers. Actually, they sounded great at AXPONA paired with the lowly Salk Song3 Towers, which would probably the budget limit of most Vidar buyers. @GUTB, I do not know how much you are familiar with the CR1. I have been listening to it since its introduction in Munich High End (driven by Audionet Max monoblocks, bi amped) till today, in a close friend’s system (reference Burmester electronics). We have tested these speakers with multiple quality amplification such as Devialet, Audionet integrated, Gryphon power amps, Soulution 7 series power amps, and i am probably forgetting some, and they were very dissapointing. The fact that they worked very well with both Max monos and Burmester power amps and not with the arguably higher end Soulution should tell you something about the CR1 in particular, and component matching in general. The 7 series Soulution is the best amp i have ever heard, but is a bad match with the CR1, despite the superlative technical performance. Concluding that the Vidars are lacking because they did not match with a reference level speaker is not reasonable. The Computer Audiophile and mav52 2 Link to comment
Popular Post boatheelmusic Posted January 21, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted January 21, 2018 Just want to comment that I'm running a Theta GenV(a) DAC through the Freya and on to the Vidar, driving Maggie 3.6r or PBN Montana EPS speakers. My listening room is 40' by 17' by 15' (10,200 cubic feet), and this setup plays beautifully and at high volumes with no audible distortion. Alternatively, I use my VTA M125 tube monoblocks; also magnificent. I feel no need to add a second Vidar, but may do so "just because". The Freya compares most favorably to the BAT VK-51SE it replaced, at a fraction of the cost. Don't make the mistake of confusing Schiit with "starter" components just because they're priced like them! 33na3rd, mourip, HalSF and 2 others 4 1 Link to comment
33na3rd Posted January 21, 2018 Share Posted January 21, 2018 38 minutes ago, boatheelmusic said: Just want to comment that I'm running a Theta GenV(a) DAC through the Freya and on to the Vidar, driving Maggie 3.6r or PBN Montana EPS speakers. My listening room is 40' by 17' by 15' (10,200 cubic feet), and this setup plays beautifully and at high volumes with no audible distortion. Alternatively, I use my VTA M125 tube monoblocks; also magnificent. I feel no need to add a second Vidar, but may do so "just because". The Freya compares most favorably to the BAT VK-51SE it replaced, at a fraction of the cost. Don't make the mistake of confusing Schiit with "starter" components just because they're priced like them! Very nice collection of gear! Is the amp on the stool a VTA also? Link to comment
boatheelmusic Posted January 21, 2018 Share Posted January 21, 2018 Yes, an ST120 I just finished building today for a customer. 33na3rd 1 Link to comment
33na3rd Posted January 21, 2018 Share Posted January 21, 2018 7 minutes ago, boatheelmusic said: Yes, an ST120 I just finished building today for a customer. Sweet! Link to comment
The Computer Audiophile Posted January 21, 2018 Author Share Posted January 21, 2018 On 1/20/2018 at 1:30 PM, Ralf11 said: Do you own SACDs? If so, how do you convert them to a PCM format? Yes. I have all of them as ISO, DSF, and PCM at 24/176.4. Offline conversion was done with JRiver to PCM. If I want to play the DSD and convert to PCM on the fly I can use JRiver or Roon. On 1/20/2018 at 2:02 PM, speavler said: sidenote: Tidal finally has Backspacer in their catalogue. About time! On 1/20/2018 at 2:31 PM, jimx1169 said: However, I AM a little perplexed that the reviewer's remarks in the comment section state "The Vidars aren't spec'd to drive the TADs" when I believe the specs on Shiit's website would suggest otherwise. Mr. Reviewer, care to explain? The review was fact-checked by Schiit. I don’t believe the Vidar when used in mono configuration is spec’d for a 4 ohm load. Founder of Audiophile Style | My Audio Systems Link to comment
AudioDoctor Posted January 21, 2018 Share Posted January 21, 2018 16 hours ago, Ralf11 said: so, it warmed up, eh? It has to or it won't snow... No electron left behind. Link to comment
Bones13 Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 On 1/19/2018 at 12:16 AM, Ron Scubadiver said: It's been frozen down in Houston. People who grew up here say it's the coldest winter since 1973. I love Schiit's philosophy on the DAC. Just play PCM up to 192. I was in 8th grade in Houston in 1973. We had several inches of snow that stayed on the ground for several days. I distinctly remember having a snowball fight in science class, in the classroom. There was enough snow on the window ledges for about 10 minutes of such frolicking. Even the young science teacher participated, unusual at a catholic grade school. I now live in Mobile, AL, with nearly identical weather to Houston. The age old wisdom stated that we get snow every 10 years. Big ice storm 4 years ago paralyzedthe area for 2 days. (No salt/sand depot, nor equipment, nor correct tires) now we have a winter where it snows twice in January. Schools were closed for 2 days again. (Most people in this area do not have appropriate clothing to put their kids out for bus pickup in 22-26 degree weather) My daughter lives in Minnesota (go Golden Gophers), I had to stop looking at her weather up there. Great review Chris! Lots of details, lots of options, with nice reporting the results. While I like reading reviews of stratospherically priced gear, I feel it’s critical for respected reviewers, as yourself, to report on gear that consumers can easily obtain. Assuming that most people would be stretching to afford a pair of speakers $7K+, talking about how good this combo compares to much higher priced gear gives hope. [Home Digital] MSB Premier DAC > Modright LS300 > Atma-Sphere "Class D" Monoblocks > Daedalus Audio Muse Studio Speakers [Home Analog] Technics SL-1200G > Boulder 508 (Benz Glider SL) [Office] Laptop > Kitsune R2R lvl3 > Violectric V281 > Meze Liric / Meze Elite [Travel] Laptop/iPad -> Focal Bathys Link to comment
Matias Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 Nice review. What I find strange is that one would buy a second Vidar to run in mono with difficult loads, and usually these are below 4 ohms and high power. Strange that the Vidar in mono does not support that. What would be the point of running monos for light loads or 8 ohms speakers? Further noise rejection because it is running balanced? I appreciate if anyone could clarify this point. 1. WiiM Pro - Mola Mola Makua - Apollon NCx500+SS2590 - March Audio Sointuva AWG 2. LG 77C1 - Marantz SR7005 - Apollon NC502MP+NC252MP - Monitor Audio PL100+PLC150+C265 - SVS SB-3000 3. PC - RME ADI-2 DAC FS - Neumann KH 80 DSP 4. Phone - Tanchjim Space - Truthear Zero Red 5. PC - Keysion ES2981 - Truthear Zero Red Link to comment
jimx1169 Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 On 1/21/2018 at 3:46 PM, The Computer Audiophile said: The review was fact-checked by Schiit. I don’t believe the Vidar when used in mono configuration is spec’d for a 4 ohm load. I absolutely missed that on their website but you are correct. "Mono, 8 ohms: 400W RMS " Thanks for pointing out my mistake. The Computer Audiophile 1 Link to comment
Madra Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 17 hours ago, Matias said: Nice review. What I find strange is that one would buy a second Vidar to run in mono with difficult loads, and usually these are below 4 ohms and high power. Strange that the Vidar in mono does not support that. What would be the point of running monos for light loads or 8 ohms speakers? Further noise rejection because it is running balanced? I appreciate if anyone could clarify this point. This is a limitation of the Vidar design. One way to overcome this is to run a couple of Vidars, one stereo for each channel, provided the speakers allow for bi-amplification. I haven’t read such a feedback and was hoping Chris would cover this in his review. Link to comment
Matias Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 @Madra you are right, using 2 Vidars each in stereo to biamp a speaker makes a lot of sense. More than bridging them apparently. 1. WiiM Pro - Mola Mola Makua - Apollon NCx500+SS2590 - March Audio Sointuva AWG 2. LG 77C1 - Marantz SR7005 - Apollon NC502MP+NC252MP - Monitor Audio PL100+PLC150+C265 - SVS SB-3000 3. PC - RME ADI-2 DAC FS - Neumann KH 80 DSP 4. Phone - Tanchjim Space - Truthear Zero Red 5. PC - Keysion ES2981 - Truthear Zero Red Link to comment
Encore Posted January 28, 2018 Share Posted January 28, 2018 If I had a Freya, I would swap the stock tubes for 7N7 tubes. The 7N7 is a full electrical equivalent of the 6SN7, but somehow the construction makes it an inherently better tube. I use one in my Audio Note Kit One, and it really shines. They are dirt cheap - on the order of $10 per tube - so they are in line with the price level of Schiit. They do require a socket adapter, however, and that costs more than the tube. All best, Jens i5 Macbook Pro running Roon -> Uptone Etherregen -> custom-built Win10 PC serving as endpoint, with separate LPUs for mobo and a filtering digiboard (DIY) -> Audio Note DAC 5ish (a heavily modded 3.1X Bal) -> AN Kit One, heavily modded with silver wiring and Black Gates -> AN E-SPx Alnico on Townshend speaker bars. Vicoustic and GIK treatment. Link to comment
GUTB Posted January 28, 2018 Share Posted January 28, 2018 On 1/21/2018 at 2:21 AM, Madra said: @GUTB, I do not know how much you are familiar with the CR1. I have been listening to it since its introduction in Munich High End (driven by Audionet Max monoblocks, bi amped) till today, in a close friend’s system (reference Burmester electronics). We have tested these speakers with multiple quality amplification such as Devialet, Audionet integrated, Gryphon power amps, Soulution 7 series power amps, and i am probably forgetting some, and they were very dissapointing. The fact that they worked very well with both Max monos and Burmester power amps and not with the arguably higher end Soulution should tell you something about the CR1 in particular, and component matching in general. The 7 series Soulution is the best amp i have ever heard, but is a bad match with the CR1, despite the superlative technical performance. Concluding that the Vidars are lacking because they did not match with a reference level speaker is not reasonable. Fair enough. I am also very impressed with the Audionets which I heard for the first time AXPONA last year so it doesn’t surprise me in the least they were great with the CR1s. However it is surprising that other amps of that caliber couldn’t play well with them so perhaps I’m wrong on that point. Link to comment
mordante Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 Maybe asking stupid questions however here it goes. 1) Would one or two Vidar's work well with Raido X-3 speakers? 2) Do Vidars play nice when using a non-Schiit pre amp like an Octave phono module? I currently use a Integrated Symphonic Line amp. But I'd like a little bit less warmth and a bit more open sound. The low and midrange of the SL is great and its very dynamic but it lacks some sparkle at the high frequencies. When paired with the X-3. [br] Link to comment
dbanker Posted April 27, 2018 Share Posted April 27, 2018 Hi Chris, excellent article. I'm very interested in the Vidar's, and possible with the Freya or Saga. I use a Bluesound Node 2 along with my new Monitor Audio Silver 300's (excellent value for the money). I'm also considering a PS Audio Stellar S300 (class A & D hybrid) as an amp. Have you had a chance to listen to this amp? Or perhaps more to the point - where do you feel the Vidar's fit "value" wise in the world of amplifiers? It's quite a deal to run this amps as mono blocks as you did at only $1400, but I'm wondering if I'd still be better off with the more established PS Audio Stellar S300. You did run those Vidar's with some VERY nice speakers, so I trust that you believe they really are that good - especially with the Focal's! My Monitor Audio's are probably more on par with the Sonus Faber's you listened to, but I'd still love to hear your thoughts. Cheers, and thank you again!!! Link to comment
jayrammusic Posted December 16, 2018 Share Posted December 16, 2018 Great article. Schiit certainly seem to be shaking things up, from nervous manufacturers to consumers who spent $20k on a system and realise their next door neighbour can better it for $4k. Love it. Link to comment
boatheelmusic Posted December 16, 2018 Share Posted December 16, 2018 After a long test period, I got rid of my Schiit.... The Vidar's very low input impedance of only 20k ohms loaded down my preamp, and the Freya couldn't drive my amp properly, no balls.....Sounded like a good deal, but alas no free lunch. Link to comment
jayrammusic Posted December 19, 2018 Share Posted December 19, 2018 On 12/16/2018 at 9:18 PM, boatheelmusic said: After a long test period, I got rid of my Schiit.... The Vidar's very low input impedance of only 20k ohms loaded down my preamp, and the Freya couldn't drive my amp properly, no balls.....Sounded like a good deal, but alas no free lunch. Sounds like you mismatched your equipment. Using the Freya with a poorly matched power amp and using the Vidar with a poorly matched pre amp. Which power amp and pre amp were you using in combination with the Freya and Vidar, respectively? By the way, the input impedence of the Vidar using SE is 22k ohms and 44k using balanced. What were the Freya and Vidars together like? Link to comment
boatheelmusic Posted December 19, 2018 Share Posted December 19, 2018 Maybe, but that 20K input impedance is abnormally low for most amps. And the Freya lacked "drive", not at all like my VTA SP14 delivers in spades. YMMV, but overhyped.... Link to comment
jayrammusic Posted December 19, 2018 Share Posted December 19, 2018 2 hours ago, boatheelmusic said: Maybe, but that 20K input impedance is abnormally low for most amps. And the Freya lacked "drive", not at all like my VTA SP14 delivers in spades. YMMV, but overhyped.... Hmm. If I compare , say, the $20k plus Moon 870A Power Amp, it has a 47.5k Ohm input impedence compared to the Vidar's 22k Se / 44k Balanced. Or at a lower scale the Meridian G Series stereo power amp, still 3 times the price of 2 Vidars - 16k SE and 32k Balanced input impedences. Not that any of that is very important. 'Loading down' your pre-amp as you put it doesn't really explain things very well, but I suspect pointing to the input impedence is not really what is 'loading down' your pre amp. Maybe you just prefer the sound of the SP14. I don't think you'll find a scientific reason as to why in the spec sheets, nor will comments like 'lacking drive', 'loading down', 'overhyped' and 'no balls' help people very much. Terms like that are should be a red flag to people seriously researching their next audio purchase. Link to comment
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