Schiit Kara Review - Wow, this was unexpected

Discussion in 'Preamps' started by purr1n, Feb 3, 2025 at 1:25 PM.

  1. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

    Staff Member Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2015
    Likes Received:
    92,796
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Padre Island CC TX
    No external mic. That's the scary part. Great wind / noise rejection with just that part with the truck that drove by. Google AI stuff for the win.

    I leave the Schiit amps in standby. The random class D stuff I leave on.

    @schiit: would be a nice feature to have the Forkbearded amps automatically go to standby after 20 minutes of no signal? Don't know if this is possible.
     
    Last edited: Feb 4, 2025 at 6:39 AM
  2. Yethal

    Yethal Almost "Made"

    Joined:
    Sep 23, 2018
    Likes Received:
    259
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Poland
    Headphone out is unreasonably good with HD800, not 'good for a convenience output on a preamp' but 'actually good'. Who would've known the secret to driving them was high voltage rails all along
     
  3. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

    Staff Member Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2015
    Likes Received:
    92,796
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Padre Island CC TX
    I suspected the headphone out would be good and thus why I have avoided it.

    Will do and grab the Pietus when I head back to San Antone. I suspect this would be good. The Pietus is great and the only thing that prevents it from being a Top 3 (instead of Top 7) amp is that it could be a bit more muscular. The Kara at x4 gain really helped bring the REL HT series Class D powered sub come alive. As a side thought: damn class D really sucks - I'd thought class D would be OK for subs or lows, but insipid is insipid.

    Yes. I still have the Saga 6SN7 tube preamp because I felt this was back then the most transparent (lack of omission) of the Schiit preamps, including Freya S and Freya tube. I wasn't a fan of the Freya tube because it was too tubey (and sounded off - hard to explain) - not what I was looking for with a preamp, although I understand its appeal.

    Kara is like the Saga 6SN7, where I would have to do a double-take on finding any sins of omission. I don't feel like I'm missing anything unlike the Freya.

    Yup. I'd even say it doesn't sound Nexus'ish at all if the definition of that refers to the Jotunheim 2 and Freya S's bassiness, warmth, and harmonic richness, other than the oomph and muscularity (which Kara has even more). As I said in the video, with Freya S, I'd be afraid to pair with the Tyr which is already bassy, hits like a freight train, and on the mellow side. With Kara no such worries. Kara is like even stronger, but shredded and ripped.
     
    Last edited: Feb 4, 2025 at 8:39 AM
  4. HotRatSalad

    HotRatSalad Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    May 4, 2018
    Likes Received:
    1,909
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    NH
    I've had a Freya S running dual Ageirs for a couple years now, mostly for vinyl playback. Just when I thought I was out...
    My only negative on the Freya S is the RCA outs are not that good IMO and I only use the XLRs on the freya S usually in 1x mode.

    Can anyone comment on Kara using RCA ? I had heard when it was released that this was the biggest improvement.

    Also at times I'd like to listen to records on headphones but it's a pain in the ass to have a headphone amp cluttering up where my stereo stuff is... They pulled me back in...
     
  5. SnowPuppy

    SnowPuppy Facebook Friend

    Joined:
    Jan 29, 2017
    Likes Received:
    241
    Trophy Points:
    43
    Location:
    Omaha, NE
    I replaced a Freya S with the Kara and the Kara is a significant upgrade in sound quality. I have been using the RCA out for my SVS SB-3000 subwoofer and I can tell you that the bass output on the subwoofer increased by a lot. I ended up reducing the output in the subwoofer app by about 5 db to get it re-blended with the 1.7i Magnepans. I use the balanced outputs for the Tyr monoblocs.


    The Kara just has more robust bass overall and better definition. More energy. In addition, high frequencies have better tone and more detail being less washed out. Sound staging is also significantly better on the Kara. Vocals are also a little more forward which is a welcome add. I can’t think of any drawbacks whatsoever in switching to the Kara.
     
  6. SofaSamuraiX

    SofaSamuraiX Almost "Made"

    Contributor
    Joined:
    Jun 1, 2024
    Likes Received:
    467
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Cleveland, Ohio
    I really like the headphone out on the Kara. There is an ease to the way the music get to my ears that I like a lot.
     
  7. GoldfishX

    GoldfishX Almost "Made"

    Joined:
    Nov 13, 2015
    Likes Received:
    256
    Trophy Points:
    53
    I noticed the Kara headphone out was 1 watt in a 300ohms load awhile ago. Glad someone mentioned that. Usually the measured amount is less than one full watt into headphones like the HD800. Mjolnir 3 is 1 watt (300 ohms) in balanced, but 500mW (300 ohms) in single-ended.

    From the FAQ "Maximum Power, 300 ohms: 1W RMS per channel (yes same as 32 ohms)"

    Curious what it does to an HD650.
     
  8. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

    Staff Member Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2015
    Likes Received:
    92,796
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Padre Island CC TX
    1W is an f'ing lot of power into 300-ohms. That's 17Vrms and gonna make the HD800 explode several times over
     
  9. SofaSamuraiX

    SofaSamuraiX Almost "Made"

    Contributor
    Joined:
    Jun 1, 2024
    Likes Received:
    467
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Cleveland, Ohio
    It makes them into open back earmuffs that play music. And very nicely at that.
    Edit: because I lied, mine are 6xx... Sorry.
    Edited again: because it also drives the shit out of my LCD-2 classic and 109 Pro.
     
    Last edited: Feb 4, 2025 at 6:16 PM
  10. Johnny the Nose

    Johnny the Nose Facebook Friend

    Joined:
    Dec 13, 2022
    Likes Received:
    158
    Trophy Points:
    33
    Location:
    Hill Valley

    In terms of XLR to RCA conversion for DACs like Yggdrasil A2 - Do you think Kara would be better/worse than a Cinemag XLR conversion box? Curious if you have any thoughts, I recognize questions like this can be tedious or silly sometimes.

    (Nice to see YouTube diversification also btw although your written reviews are always the best!)
     
  11. HotRatSalad

    HotRatSalad Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    May 4, 2018
    Likes Received:
    1,909
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    NH
    I know you have a Pi Max, how far off is it ?
     
  12. darmok

    darmok Almost "Made"

    Contributor
    Joined:
    Mar 19, 2023
    Likes Received:
    516
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Tree Town
    Dang, if it’s also good with the HD 800 S then that’s 3/4 of my usual open back roster right there. No noise floor issues with the 109 Pro?
     
  13. SofaSamuraiX

    SofaSamuraiX Almost "Made"

    Contributor
    Joined:
    Jun 1, 2024
    Likes Received:
    467
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Cleveland, Ohio
    Not that I noticed. I just got to listening and no thinking! I will go home tonight and listen for noises, but nothing got in the way of my music at all.
     
  14. Bowmoreman

    Bowmoreman Almost "Made"

    Contributor
    Joined:
    Jun 28, 2023
    Likes Received:
    375
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Temple, NH
    Nice succinct video review @purr1n Glad you like Kara as much as I have. As I noted in my Skoll review, it has compared extremely favorably in my system for over a year now. Now, I await Stjarna availability so I can really take my LP’s to hopefully the end-game level.

    I think you hit well on the key characteristics that I’ve noticed over time: it has drive and transparency that really mesh well to deliver very realistic soundstaging on my classical and Jazz sources. It feels as effortless “going down the audio road”, as my LS460 cruising at 80+MPH and 1900 rpm… plenty of headroom and “ease”. I usually run it on high-gain (mandatory for LP’s via Skoll, optional from Yggdrasil). It is preternaturally QUIET while being oh so transparent.

    I’ve only found ONE downside; in winter months here in the Northeast, we have static issues (I humidify my house, but… it’s a constant battle). If I don’t remember to “ground” myself before physically touching it; it will go into “brain fault” mode and start interminably blinking the “oh Schiit” LED, with no controls working etc. I have to then physically power it down, wait a few minutes, and then power it back on, so it can reset itself. This is not from one of those super noticeable “spark” touches we all used to inflict on each other when juvenile… it’s more subtle/minimal. But, it happens.

    Probably doesn’t help that I’ve a 100% wool decorative rug in the listening room (over oak hardwood flooring).

    Not sure if anyone else has run into that or not.

    It is more than fine driving my Koss ESP950’s via the Koss Energizer connected to the headphone jack. Of course, they don’t have much (any) true bass, but the transparency there is epic.

    Otherwise, I love it. Mine is pre-FB, but since I’m (shortly, hopefully) getting a Stjarna (which has FB), I will either have Schiit FB it (and eat the bi-directional shipping), or may sell it and just replace with an F variant; that is still TB
     
  15. M3NTAL

    M3NTAL Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    1,808
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Arizona
    Man.. and here I thought my Freya N sounded great. :)

    I do think the Freya N needed a better volume control system and the addition of a built in headphone amplifier would be nice. Kara sounds like a pretty killer package. Forkbeard is a pretty great bonus for a preamp.
     
  16. darmok

    darmok Almost "Made"

    Contributor
    Joined:
    Mar 19, 2023
    Likes Received:
    516
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Tree Town
    I’m curious, why use the HP out for this instead of one of the RCA outs?
     
  17. SofaSamuraiX

    SofaSamuraiX Almost "Made"

    Contributor
    Joined:
    Jun 1, 2024
    Likes Received:
    467
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Cleveland, Ohio
    Sorry I missed your question earlier, I will get into that tonight if I can and try to give you a good answer!
     
  18. HotRatSalad

    HotRatSalad Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    May 4, 2018
    Likes Received:
    1,909
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    NH
    Thanks ! I was curious don't go crazy, the fact you like it while you have Pi max and tube amps already says a lot.
     
  19. ][nIn][

    ][nIn][ Facebook Friend

    Contributor
    Joined:
    May 19, 2024
    Likes Received:
    131
    Trophy Points:
    33
    Location:
    Canada
  20. Riotvan

    Riotvan Snoofer in the Woofer

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    4,575
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    The Netherlands
    I think you're on to something with the high voltage rails. I did not like Freya-S at all, to me it had a steely quality that bugged me a lot. Now have an SPL phonitor X which also has high voltage rails and i find it absolutely stellar as a pre. This looks like a very nice budget friendlier option.

    An idea but probably never going to happen is if they made a kara with a built in adjustable crossover.
     

Share This Page