New Schiit / Preamps and Power Amp (was Putting the Schiit Signal Up)

Discussion in 'Preamps' started by purr1n, Oct 6, 2016.

  1. sphinxvc

    sphinxvc Gear Master (retired)

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    Last edited: Jan 29, 2017
  2. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    A power switch on the front of the Freya would have been nice. I have everything hooked up to a Belkin box, so it's not a big deal, but I would have liked a front mounted power switch, since this is a component with tubes that needs to be switched off. I need to put this in the Freya review.

    Schiit's explanation makes sense. They have a footprint for their designs and the way the transformers are mounted. Maybe than can revisit this in the future.
     
  3. beemerphile

    beemerphile Friend

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    It would be easy to implement. A push on / push off switch mounted to the PCB would only require a thru-hole in the case for the actuator to stick through. There could be a couple of tracks in the PCB to get the power back to the transformers. This is damn near identical to how the input selector switch is constructed in their SYS product. A wise old friend of mine used to say "Folks do what they want to do." Then once they decide, they craft up a story to go along with it. I don't know. maybe they are just proud of their idiosyncratic nature, which they'd have to be somewhat given the company name. They probably have lost a sale or two to the name but are having enough fun with it that they think it is worth it. Good for them. I hope they aren't as crass as @landroni casts them with "They're not trying to please you." If I am the only one, then no, it would not make sense to accommodate me. However as good business people they might want to keep their ears up and their minds open to see if it is bigger than they might think. I paid my bucks for their TOTL Yggdrasil. I love it. It took me out of the DAC marketplace. It hasn't been turned off since I placed it in the chain. In fact, with a UPS, it doesn't even go off during power failures. However, the lack of a power switch is one large reason why I did not buy their Ragnarok at the same time. I bought a Cavalli Liquid Glass that has a power switch on the back that puts it in standby and a front switch to power it up. Now, I am happy enough with the LG that I am no longer in the amp market even if they "fixed" the Rag. A company, especially a closely held one, can do what they want. But, they will get whatever outcome the market chooses to attribute to their decisions. Peace, out. And there is no need for landroni to reiterate how wrong I am. I understand completely how wrong he thinks I am.
     
  4. FallingObjects

    FallingObjects Pay It Forward

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    For aesthetic purposes I prefer the switch on the back.
     
  5. J Seymour

    J Seymour Acquaintance

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    I was concerned about the power switch on the back. But since you need clearance above the unit for the tube heat and it's only 8" in depth, it's pretty easy to access the rear power switch. My only complaint is waiting for 30 seconds for it to power up. The price to be paid for great sound. There is something quite addicting about the tubes that I am using that mode exclusively.

    The remote is so small I am not using it except for the mute function when the phone rings.
     
  6. Scott Kramer

    Scott Kramer Friend

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    I think the power switch is fine the way it is and keeps it simple, flows with their circuit layout... however it would've been slick if when you select a non tube mode on the freya/saga it put the tubes to sleep-- and you can control that from the front panel or remote!
     
  7. khragon

    khragon Acquaintance

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    I couldn't understand the logic behind not adding the capability to turn off the tubes when they're not in use either. Ah... so frustrating, so close, would be perfect with this feature... a missed opportunity.
     
  8. Dino

    Dino Friend

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    Yes! I feel confident that Schiit did not overlook this. I wonder what the technical/practical reason was.
     
  9. Scott Kramer

    Scott Kramer Friend

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    Was just thinking the same thing... maybe too big a spec relay for all that voltage/current or a relay in circuit would compromise it? hmmm
     
  10. Dino

    Dino Friend

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    It seems like it must have been a bigger deal than the current configuration. So it must have been a big deal.
     
  11. zonto

    zonto Friend

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    I agree.

    My Peachtree integrated has a power switch on the back that, when switched on, simply engages standby mode. The power button on the front turns the amp circuit on, including the tube stage. The remote can perform the same function as the front button press, as well as turning off the tube and controlling volume.

    This is the only reason I am even hesitating about buying a Freya/Vidar honestly.
     
  12. Priidik

    Priidik MOT: Estelon

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    No. These are U-I or U-U or C-core.

    Not all power toroids are made with ferrite core and bad.
    In fact in practical high power applications such transformers wouldn't work properly (ferrite saturates rather early) or would be stupidly expensive and an engineering fail.
    I have not opened up smaller ones, but anything more than 500VA are usually silicon steel rolled like foil spring.
    In case it's actually properly designed toroidal power transformer it is better than other geometries in most respects.
    Smaller for same power, much less leakage flux, less reluctance because of lack of unintentional airgaps between sheet stacks, lower dc resistance (-->lower impedance) and in practice cheaper for same power (less material).
    Smaller than few hundred VA the assembly costs usually overweight material costs so UI in such case would be most cost efficient, it makes sense that Schiit uses just these. Toroid is a bitch to wind, needs proprietary bench and shit.

    U-I in theory should be additionally desirable for it's inherent losses. Combined with less than ideal core steel (low grade thick sheet un-oriented) should make it lossy for higher frequencies filtering out some more gunk from grid.

    edit: Opened a meager 20 VA toroid and it is in fact ferrite, ugh.
     
    Last edited: Feb 1, 2017
  13. landroni

    landroni Friend

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    Well, here's @baldr in a different instance and on a different product, but somewhat relevant here. I'll let you be the judge of whether this qualifies as crass or not:
    http://www.head-fi.org/t/784471/what-a-long-strange-trip-its-been-robert-hunter/585#post_12493023
     
  14. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Oh yeah, we all know that about Mike. When I get together with him, we talk about schlongs, whippin' out audio schlongs. That's where the idea of the Golden Schlong Awards came from really. Mike's won two of them. That's coincidental and had nothing to do with our discussions on schlongs.
     
  15. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Yeah, I bitched about that in my Freya review.
     
  16. atomicbob

    atomicbob dScope Yoda

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    For an alternative viewpoint, consider the warm up time of tubes vs. the ability to switch between paths without having to wait for the tubes to warm up. I for one alternate between passive and active on Saga quite a bit. Also facilitates easy A/B comparison.
     
  17. landroni

    landroni Friend

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    I loved @baldr's finesse when addressing the question of supporting MQA in Schiit's DACs:
     
  18. khragon

    khragon Acquaintance

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    All thatis needed is another button to turn the tubes on or off independently of the selected output.
     
  19. HitmanFluffy

    HitmanFluffy Hoping to see real genitals someday!

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    Should I start a separate thread for the Saga? I've got mine in and the initial findings with tubes and different modes are actually quite notable.
     
  20. a44100Hz

    a44100Hz Friend

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    I'd appreciate this!
     

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