View Full Version : I love this DAC
My new REGA DAC arrived today and it's disappeared :eek:
Well not quite, are you sitting comfortably? I shall explain.
I connected the REGA and then went away for a few hours to repair my fence to stop my dogs escaping - leaving the Cyrus CD XT se on repeat.
Sat down to listen to my new piece of kit and guess what - it had gone, disappeared, couldn't hear it :stalks:
This DAC has no sonic signature, it adds nothing, it takes nothing away - I love it :)
I spent (am spending) the evening going through a variety of old favourites both on my CD and on my iPod via my Audiocom signature upgraded Wadia 170i and I have a silly grin on my face (it's not the second bottle of wine - well OK it might be). This DAC has done the same sort of thing to my music as when I installed a Troika in my previous LP12/Ittok - it shows it like it is - love it or hate it.
There is absolutely no emphasis on any part of the audio spectrum - all instruments/vocals are given equal weight. While there is more detail and control than my previous DAC I found myself listening to the music not the kit. It just sounds so right - fluid, controlled, enjoyable.
The real bombshell was listening to Songs from the Silk Road by Banco de Gaia - most of this album is recorded live at a festival - previously when listening to this album it sounded great but it sounded like it was a studio mix - through the REGA it sounds what it is - you hear what you would hear if you were at the mixing desk in the audience - I s**t you not - it's that good.
However, be aware it ruthlessly shows up poor recordings - Bruce Springsteens' Darkness on the edge of town for example - great album but through the REGA you just know it was poorly mastered (OK old album) it sounds "boxy" - all the sound is concentrated in the space between the speakers - but get a good recording - in my case tonight Thea Gilmores' new album John Wesley Harding and the soundstage just opens up - beautiful.
Now I am just a poor country doctor and have never heard and never likely to hear Uber expensive dacs so my experience is necessarily limited in this area but my first impressions of the REGA dac are very very favourable - off to listen some more - and open another bottle of wine (wife and kids away - just me, the dogs and the hifi this weekend) :champagne:
My only criticism - I just wish the led's were green and not red to match the rest of my kit
Steve
Being a simple country
Hi Steve - reading between the lines (and your signature!) the Rega has replaced your Gatored/Teddyed Caiman?
Sounds like your experience of the unit mirrors the positive press it has received. What with the similarly styled and priced Brio R integrated getting fab reviews too, and the same form-factor Saturn CD player eagerly expected, it looks like Rega are on a bit of a roll with their "budget" end at the moment - (add in the superb RS5 speakers DSJR and I heard, and there's a giant-killing system for a couple of grand, I suspect.)
Best of luck to Rega, and to you with your new found enjoyment. (Hope to hear the DAC later in the summer when DSJR and I make another trip to see hifi_dave :))
Hi Steve - reading between the lines (and your signature!) the Rega has replaced your Gatored/Teddyed Caiman?
Signature updated - 'nuff said :)
Steve
"Now I am just a poor country doctor"
"poor" and "doctor", who you trying to kid? ;)
"Now I am just a poor country doctor"
"poor" and "doctor", who you trying to kid? ;)
+1 :D
No need for uber-DAC's, as they're profit laden most of the time I think..
"Now I am just a poor country doctor"
"poor" and "doctor", who you trying to kid? ;)
:whistle:
Steve
Still very tempted by the Rega DAC.
Nearly all of the reviews I've seen mention that it sounds analogue, and has 'that Rega sound', which is contradictory of your own opinion (not implying anything here, just an observation!).
How does Pink Floyd sound on it? :)
Hi Steve,
http://img703.imageshack.us/img703/9686/74f6a224099319a8c9e3d91.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/703/74f6a224099319a8c9e3d91.jpg/)
Who he? :scratch:
Marco.
Ali Tait
04-06-2011, 10:35
It's your bank manager when you tell him about all the new kit you're going to buy!
Hi Steve,
http://img703.imageshack.us/img703/9686/74f6a224099319a8c9e3d91.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/703/74f6a224099319a8c9e3d91.jpg/)
Who he? :scratch:
Marco.
Marco where have you been for the last 12 months? :scratch:
This is the Prince of Darkness himself aka Mr "screw the NHS" Andrew Lansley
:deceased:
Steve
Still very tempted by the Rega DAC.
Nearly all of the reviews I've seen mention that it sounds analogue, and has 'that Rega sound', which is contradictory of your own opinion (not implying anything here, just an observation!).
How does Pink Floyd sound on it? :)
Rega hated "Red Book Digital" with a vengeance back in the 80's and it took a lot of hard work and very careful design to come up with the original and dear little "Planet" CD player, which involved the listener so well and at a very modest price. Even the top-loading gave the user a bit more tactile involvement,although the AV boom (literally) in the early 90's put the UK Arcam players back in the running with their Diva range (the CD82 wasn't a bad player at all IMO).
The "thing" about Rega and Roy Gandy's sensibilities is broadly this, in my understanding... To make the very best, you can throw as much money as you like at a problem in an effort to "solve it" on the one hand. This is shown so much in audio, the limited numbers made and the extreme eye candy bling cases finishing these confections off (and sometimes disguising real rubbish underneath too). Alternatively, the designer can go back to basics and find novel and inexpensive ways round the problem with very careful economic design. This is how Rega have worked over the last 40 years or so, and with much success I think.
I suspect the Rega DAC will, if better than the DAC/output in the Saturn player which sounded so good to me, be a wonderful and simple solution to digital Red-Book replay for many of us. It should be reliable and of course Rega offer excellent service backup should it ever be needed.
Onward and Upward :)
How does Pink Floyd sound on it? :)
Funny you should ask Ross as I've just finished listening to Pulse (both discs).
Put simply it sounds stunning. Comfortably Numb (final track disc 2) sounds better than I have ever heard before on CD - huge, soaring, detailed, emotional - makes your spine tingle and to get out your air guitar and drum kit :)
24 hours on and the REGA has really opened up - almost like a switch being thrown this morning. All the previous good points still present but the soundstage had opened up and presentation is more dynamic but no change in stereo imaging ie has not become "in your face".
I've experimented a little with the filters and for me filter 1 (linear phase half-band) sounds best - some reviewers seem to prefer filter 4 (linear phase apodising) but in my system it muddies up the mid-low frequencies and gives an artificial sounding bass - bit reminiscent of a "loudness" switch but I guess it's system and personal preference dependent.
Steve
Marco where have you been for the last 12 months? :scratch:
This is the Prince of Darkness himself aka Mr "screw the NHS" Andrew Lansley
:deceased:
Lol - thanks for that, Steve. I wouldn't know, as I don't follow politics :)
Marco.
StanleyB
04-06-2011, 15:48
Hi Steve, since you have both the Gatorized Caiman and the Rega DAC, what about a litttle comparison between the two? It might help me to fine tune the TC-7510 replacement. High time my giant killer is given a completely new set of teeth :).
Hi Steve, since you have both the Gatorized Caiman and the Rega DAC, what about a litttle comparison between the two? It might help me to fine tune the TC-7510 replacement. High time my giant killer is given a completely new set of teeth :).
Hi Stan - OK I'll do my best.
Both dacs have coaxial, optical and USB inputs. The REGA has 2 optical inputs the Beresford has 1. The Beresford has an integral high quality headphone amp, the REGA has no headphone amp. The REGA has an internal PSU the Beresford uses an external psu which allows for upgrades in this area.
The REGA has 5 selectable filters the Beresford has none.
My comparison is between the REGA dac with filter 1 engaged (48 hours old - the sound of the REGA is still evolving/maturing as it gets burned in) and the Beresford Caiman+Gator board+Teddy Pardo psu. inputs were mainly Cyrus CD Xt se/PSxR but also iPod via Wadia 170i (Audiocom signature upgrade) + Teddy Pardo psu using the coax inputs only. I have no experience of the USB inputs on either dac. I do not use the optical inputs as I have found previously that I prefer the sound from the Cyrus using it's coax output as opposed to its optical output.
Price wise the REGA is about £100 more expensive than the Gatorized Caiman plus Teddy Pardo psu (£500 v about £400)
From my previous posts it will be recalled that prior to using the Caiman+Gator+Pardo (CGP) I had been using a Benchmark DAC 1 but the CGP impressed so much I sold the Benchmark so my comments should be taken with this in mind. My preference at the time for the CGP was that it had much more of an "analogue/vinyl" sound the Benchmark being a bit bright and "HiFi" to my ears.
Well IMHO the REGA has the same attributes but more so. Now I know Ross (Yoga) in a previous post in this thread was confused by my comments but I see no confusion/contradiction in what I posted earlier and other's referring to a "REGA sound" which I take to mean "vinyl" - I had an RP3/R100 in days gone by before moving onto LP12/Ittok/Troika and from memory the latter was not so very different to the RP3 just more detail and dynamic but the "tone" was the same. This is what I meant when I posted that the REGA dac had a similar difference to when I added a Troika - I was meaning to emphasise the essentially vinyl sounding nature of the REGA. But I digress :eyebrows:
In comparison to the CGP the REGA has a bigger soundstage - slightly more forward presentation but the music feels "larger" - it "blooms" a bit like the difference between Mullard ECC83's and Telefunken 12AX7's if that makes any sense ;) but it does not loose out on high frequency detail like the Mullards do against the TFK's. I'm trying to paint a picture using sonic characteristics of other well known electronics to describe what I am hearing (and probably failing :eyebrows:)
There seems to be no over-emphasis on one instrument/vocal in a mix - this makes close miked vocals easier to follow and distinguish - for example on Robert Plant's Band of Joy track 4 (Silver Rider) it is much easier to hear/follow the female vocalist and the female backing vocals singing along with Plant - they have a definite separation in space (a bit to the right and lower) - with the CGP they tend to merge and are not so obviously separate.
The REGA seems to extract a bit more detail than the CGP again making vocals clearer - a good example is where in complex vocals where sometimes one struggles to hear the last consonant of a word (is it a T or a D?) or even pick out feint voices clearly - Dark Side of The Moon being a good example here where with the REGA the "airport announcement" is much clearer than with the CGP
The music seems to rise and fall and flow easier - there's somehow more "air" or "space" in and around the performers and everything just seems more relaxed and effortless - that should not be taken to mean it's somehow "laid back" in presentation in the way the "Quad sound" is laid back - far from it. As the REGA warmed up and burned in then it became more dynamic and foot tapping than the CGP but it never got ragged (neither did the CGP).
Bass is full and controlled - seems to go a bit lower than the CGP and there is more detail/clarity - bass guitar backing lines are easier to follow - and indeed make their presence felt for the first time on occasion. Again there is a little more "warmth" to strummed guitar strings - ?better harmonics - just sounds more involving somehow.
The real killer was when I was listening to Banco de Gaia's Songs from the Silk Road (see previous post) on the iPod - for the first time you really could "see" that this was recorded from a big stage in an open air concert somewhere and you were about halfway back in the middle - I've never heard that sonic clue in a recording before - it really adds to the "believability" of the music being played.
I think that last comment sums up the difference between the 2 dacs and at the risk of a really naff hifi cliche the REGA gets you (well me anyway) closer to the live music sound. Now it may well be of course that this is just a "system synergy" thing and the REGA just works better with my other kit.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with the Caiman+Gator dac - it's fantastic but all I can say is the REGA sounds "better" in my system now whether it will in other systems I have no idea.
Steve
Thanks for taking the time to write your review Steve, very interesting and enjoyable. :)
Thanks for taking the time to write your review Steve, very interesting and enjoyable. :)
Indeed, I think I'm going to have to try this DAC out - thanks Steve
have just read the rega uses a similar dac to my stagedac (wm8742 and 8741)
technically i dont know how they compare.
i feel a home trial coming on!
Thanks Steve. I might have to get one of these to test against the Burson 160D.
Thanks for the info Dave, very interesting.
kininigin
06-06-2011, 16:50
Hi Steve, since you have both the Gatorized Caiman and the Rega DAC, what about a litttle comparison between the two? It might help me to fine tune the TC-7510 replacement. High time my giant killer is given a completely new set of teeth :).
Hi stan,this might be a stupid question but are you replacing just the TC-7510? I recently sold my TC-7520 with gator to fund a trip,but i now need a new dac so any details you can give about your new dac would be appreciated :cool:
StanleyB
06-06-2011, 17:12
I haven't updated the TC-7510 since 2009. But many people have asked me to release a new version. I can't think of any other DAC on the market at the TC-7510 £99.99 plus VAT price point with giant killing performance. So its replacement will have to raise the bar and stay within that price point if it wants to be the new entry level king.
The statement DAC will inherit some of the moth watering features of the new TC-7510.
kininigin
06-06-2011, 18:06
I haven't updated the TC-7510 since 2009. But many people have asked me to release a new version. I can't think of any other DAC on the market at the TC-7510 £99.99 plus VAT price point with giant killing performance. So its replacement will have to raise the bar and stay within that price point if it wants to be the new entry level king.
The statement DAC will inherit some of the moth watering features of the new TC-7510.
'statement dac' does that mean i should maybe hang tight before buying a new dac?
StanleyB
06-06-2011, 18:18
It will be a long wait still. Progress is slow.
kininigin
06-06-2011, 18:19
It will be a long wait still. Progress is slow.
I see,looks like it's the caiman then as the rega is too much for me
I have the Rega DAC on route to me, along with a few others. I'll be performing some A/B testing after giving the units 100 hours of run in (if I can wait that long) :¬)
I have the Rega DAC on route to me, along with a few others. I'll be performing some A/B testing after giving the units 100 hours of run in (if I can wait that long) :¬)
I had a Young DAC on loan for the weekend and had an opportunity to A/B against the REGA - have returned the Young.
Steve
Returned home to find Rega DAC at the back door. Yum.
This thing, even straight off the bat, no burn in, is so musical! It's hard to explain, it makes music, well, MUSICAL! Lol, what a lame attempt :cool:
Currently using a brand new NuForce Icon HDP as the headphone amp/premap. The DAC in the HDP is also very good, but the Rega wins. I'll be burning them in over the next few days to get 100 hours logged. Also using brand new HD650's.
Young DAC, LCD-2s, HD600s, Matrix Mini-I and M-Stage still to arrive.
Will be able to A/B test using Mac Pro and MBP. Same software and tunes. Looking forward to that!
This thing, even straight off the bat, no burn in, is so musical! It's hard to explain, it makes music, well, MUSICAL!
:exactly:
Steve
I swear this thing is getting better and better by the hour.
Just heard a new clarity to the vocal harmonics in Comfortably Numb (Pulse), and I can't stop my foot tapping, and body swaying to Muddy Waters - Folk Singer.
Absolutely stunning! Great match with HD650's. Icon HDP still being used as headphone amp.
Still listening to it. Say's it all really! :cool:
Can't imagine this DAC going back at this rate; I don't expect the Matrix Mini-I or HDP to compare, and the Young will have to be pretty amazing muscially. This is something special, I now see (hear) why it's getting such a following already :¬)
Time to hit the sack!
(After one.... more.... song....!)
alfie2902
16-06-2011, 00:51
I really enjoyed the Rega Dac, as you say very musical, but found the Young to be a step up again in my system!
Enjoy!
Well, just to throw spanner in the works, I've been A/B testing the NuForce Icon HDP (3-in-1 DAC/Preamp/HP amp - £300) with the Rega DAC (£500), and it is really - really - close (!).
The Rega edges it dynamically, but its very marginal. Rega is a demo model: burned in, HDP is new with 50 hours on it. I'm using the HDP as the preamp/HP amp in both cases.
nbaptista
17-06-2011, 18:58
The Rega edges it dynamically, but its very marginal
Hi Yoga,
Is it the Rega tuneful? I know that is very musical, but it plays the tunes also OK?
Hi Yoga,
Is it the Rega tuneful? I know that is very musical, but it plays the tunes also OK?
Hi Nuno,
Would you elaborate on what you mean by tuneful? :¬)
nbaptista
17-06-2011, 23:42
in tune - to be singing or playing the correct musical notes to sound pleasant
I would like to know if the Rega DAC is melodic or connected with the main tune in a piece of music!If the sound is pleasant ;)
If the Rega succeed holding a tune
Oh yes, the Rega excels at that to my ears, which is partly why it's so engaging.
nbaptista
18-06-2011, 15:17
OK, great
so, possible I´m interested in Rega Dac
BTW, I have a Dac Magic
No competition! Rega is far more engaging :¬)
nbaptista
02-07-2011, 14:30
"every single product that Rega makes is restrained, polite, innoffensive, warm,with a lack of attack and no sense of occasion,plus a rolled off top end..........it's the Rega house sound"
This statement is it true or biased?
I´m asking because reading a bit about Rega DAC a few people make this kind of statement about Rega!
"every single product that Rega makes is restrained, polite, innoffensive, warm,with a lack of attack and no sense of occasion,plus a rolled off top end..........it's the Rega house sound"
This statement is it true or biased?
I´m asking because reading a bit about Rega DAC a few people make this kind of statement about Rega!
Clearly whoever has made this statement has not heard the new REGA DAC because nothing could be further from the truth. More likely, they have never heard one and are just expressing ill informed personal opinion.
Steve
I'm running my Rega DAC in right now, which arrived yesterday - to be honest I'm not sure yet :scratch:. Sounds a little edgy compared to my Caiman, but that is well run in. Superb clarity (maybe that's what I'm finding edgy?) and a very detailed sound which compared to the Caiman sounds a bit harsh at the moment and not as silky smooth. It sounds more digital than analogue - almost like I have put my Monitor Audio speakers back in the mix. Maybe I will have to move my speakers around to see if that improves my sound, or try some other cables?
I'm not bowled over by it right now, but it probably needs more time. It's not making me want to sit around listening to music all day, which prior to it arriving I did. This is precisely why I'm not comfortable being a box swapper, I just want to enjoy music, not fiddle about all the time. Now I feel like I could be chasing my tail again...... :doh:
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w63/greatgig/chasing-tail.gif
Ali Tait
02-07-2011, 15:58
Give it about 200 hours before you make a final decision IMHO.
Yeah, I think it needs some time and then I need to go backwards to compare. I'm not very adept at describing how things sound, but this has a modern feel to it, rather than an analogue feel. A bit like throwing music at me, rather than being immersed in it, if that makes sense?
Ali Tait
02-07-2011, 16:09
Yes makes sense. Give it some time, it should mellow.
Just got a new DAC meself. :)
I'm desperate to get in there and start playing about but it's only been here for a week or so. I don't even have my usual 'speakers available ATM...
But bejeezus, the temptation! :lolsign:
Ali Tait
02-07-2011, 16:23
How's it sounding Mike?
How's it sounding Mike?
Not so bad, mate! :)
But I've got a pair of V-Caps sitting here just begging to be plumbed in! :eek:
Ali Tait
02-07-2011, 16:31
Aye, just do it! You know you want to...
Aye, just do it! You know you want to...
Very true!
But I'll wait untill the Yammy's are back home! :)
i'm glad you like it so far Mike, the caps will lift it to a new level ;)
Ali Tait
02-07-2011, 21:59
They certainly will.
Ali, the Rega DAC is loosening up..... or is it the Gin :scratch:
nbaptista
03-07-2011, 13:37
Ali, the Rega DAC is loosening up..... or is it the Gin :scratch:
So, was the gin?Or no ? :doh:
Well it definitely sounds better today than yesterday, still needs a bit more before I decide to keep it mind you - I reckon it's about 90% there right now. It sounds like it needs valves to tame it..... :lol: may have to consider that Leben after all :eyebrows:
Hi Tim,
For what it's worth, I felt that the Rega kept improving over several weeks. According to the playback counter on foobar, its had the equivalent of 3 weeks worth of use and only now seems to have reached a consistent level......which I totally love :)
Tim, I had a Rega to audition, a demo model with hundreds of hours on it. It was far from bright and edgy :¬)
Being honest, it was very similar to the Matrix Mini-I in terms of sound, which was also musical. Couldn't hear a difference between them with an instant A/B switch (Mini-I and Rega both fed into M-Stage powering HD650s). My initial enjoyment of the Rega was actually more to do with moving to a competent combination of DAC, AMP and cans, rather than the DAC itself.
Personal opinion of course, there may be some out there with different equipment which yields greater differences.
nbaptista
04-07-2011, 15:28
Tim, I had a Rega to audition, a demo model with hundreds of hours on it. It was far from bright and edgy :¬)
Bright and edgy describes better the DacMagic, I guess!
Thanks guys, that's good to know as I was a little disappointed straight out the box, which was something I hadn't been with the two previous DAC's I have purchased (MF V-DAC and a Beresford Caiman). I reckon it's done about 25 hours now of playing music and been switched on for around 72. It does sound like a proper grown-up piece of Hi-Fi, so if the sound smooths I think I will be very pleased.... fingers crossed ;)
The Rega is on my list of gear to buy over the coming months.
We know the musical quality of the Rega DAC is unquestionably very very good and one could argue it is on par with that of other DACs costing more.
I would be interested to hear comments on the build quality of this DAC.
Is the casing material similar to that of their Apollo CD player. The reason I ask is that a friend has this player and imo the material/finish looks and feel 'cheap'.:(
Thanks guys, that's good to know as I was a little disappointed straight out the box, which was something I hadn't been with the two previous DAC's I have purchased (MF V-DAC and a Beresford Caiman). I reckon it's done about 25 hours now of playing music and been switched on for around 72. It does sound like a proper grown-up piece of Hi-Fi, so if the sound smooths I think I will be very pleased.... fingers crossed ;)
Any new developments? :¬)
The Rega is on my list of gear to buy over the coming months.
We know the musical quality of the Rega DAC is unquestionably very very good and one could argue it is on par with that of other DACs costing more.
I would be interested to hear comments on the build quality of this DAC.
Is the casing material similar to that of their Apollo CD player. The reason I ask is that a friend has this player and imo the material/finish looks and feel 'cheap'.:(
Built like a tank, with a tactile finish (bar the front). Nice quality feel to it.
Thank you all for the in-depth reviews which you have given for the REGA, Young and Caiman + Gator DACs. I need a little help and decided to ask you to kindly share your opinions. As I listen to music mainly through my headphones Bayerdynamic DT 990 600ohms I want to get myself a quality DAC with headphone preamp/amp to support the 600 ohm impedance of my headphones. The DAC that I am going to purchase will also act as a link between my optical Sound Card on my pc and my AV receiver and speakers. I mostly enjoy House, Rock, Vocals/acoustic music. I am looking for true sound without coloration. I have heard the Caiman+ and like it a lot. Now I am wondering whether to go for the Gator or for something else. :rolleyes: My budget is 600-700 euro but I will happily spend less and improve my speakers set with the saved money. :) Please share your opinions/advise. Thank you all in advance. Cheers
Werner Berghofer
03-08-2011, 13:19
Ivaylo,
As I listen to music mainly through my headphones Bayerdynamic DT 990 600ohms I want to get myself a quality DAC with headphone preamp/amp to support the 600 ohm impedance of my headphones.
some consider the headphone output of the gatorized Caiman to be pretty good, but I prefer to use my Beyerdynamic DT 990/600 Ω plugged into a dedicated headphone amp like the Schiit Valhalla (http://schiit.com/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=0&products_id=2). I think its performance is superior to the headphone section of the Caiman: there’s more power, “meat” and laid-back handling of fast dynamic changes.
http://www.berghofer.com/photos/gear/dac_amp_cans.jpg
The Beresford Caiman is a decent DAC and I use three of them in various locations in my home (see this → AoS thread (http://www.theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=11546) for more), but since I’m curious and very impressed by the build quality, the appearance and the sound performance of their headphone amplifier, I ordered the Bifrost DAC (http://schiit.com/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=0&products_id=7) from Schiit Audio. Shipment is expected to begin on the end of August, and I surely will post my first impressions of this DAC here on this forum.
Werner.
What a terribly unfortunate name for a company (in English anyway ;))
Having said the above, the website is very well written in English and the gear looks to be very well made and well described. In addition, they don't seem to take themselves too seriuously. Prices seem quite fair as well :)
What a terribly unfortunate name for a company (in English anyway ;))
Lol, I spotted that awhile ago too Dave, but felt too embarrassed to say anything and thought Werner may have thought I was having a go - but Shiit Audio does have a certain ring to it :eyebrows:
Hey Werner.
Any chance of a shot of the internals of the headphone amp?
Not the best name for International sales is it Dave :lolsign:
P.s. Shiit range is designed by an ex Sumo guy and, wait for it, THETA as well. I loved the Theta stuff and those that knew Sumo speak of them fondly, big hearted and clean with it...
Thank you, Werner. Your reply is most valuable to me as you posses what I was planning to purchase. I would hate to have distorted sound and I saw in another post of yours that you mention the Gator distorts the sound with dt990 after the volume knob has been pushed passed 3 O'clock. To be absolutely frank i was hoping to avoid the purchase of a headphone amp but I start to think that this is inevitable. My last hope is that the ICON HDP or something similar will be able to drive the headphones adequately. Unfortunately I live in Bulgaria and the rule around here is that if you want quality music you have to either order blind on the internet or build your own equipment. As I do not have the talent that Stan Baresford has :) I am pretty much dependent on the forums for feedback prior to my internet purchase.
I love the look of the valhalla. I am sure its an amazing amp even by looking at it. I am looking forward to you review of the BIFROST
As for the name "Schitt" I would love to have been able to attend the meeting where the founders of the company were suggesting different company names just to see what other names were tabled and how they ended up with Shiit. :) That being said if the equipment delivers quality I could not care less how it is called.
Cheers,
Ivaylo
As for the name "Schitt" I would love to have been able to attend the meeting where the founders of the company were suggesting different company names just to see what other names were tabled and how they ended up with Shiit. :) That being said if the equipment delivers quality I could not care less how it is called.
I must admit the name appeals to my sense of bloody mindedness and I would quite like one, purely based on the name :)
Werner Berghofer
04-08-2011, 05:29
Ivaylo,
the Gator distorts the sound with dt990 after the volume knob has been pushed passed 3 O'clock.
this is quite clear, since the volume knob is outside the headphone amplifier’s “comfort zone”, as Stanley Beresford calls it. But the slight distorsions are not my primary reason to prefer a dedicated headphone amp: I pushed the Caiman’s volume knob far beyond its comfort zone because at least for my ears even in this position the sound was thin and I missed a certain volume, power and punch. Please note also that these distorsions were more obvious with my AKG K701 headphones; maybe because of the different impedances of the K701 (62 Ω) and the Beyerdynamic DT 990 (600 Ω).
To be absolutely frank i was hoping to avoid the purchase of a headphone amp
Your personal preferences may be quite different from mine, and if you are satisfied with the performance of the Caiman’s headphone section, there’s certainly no reason for you to purchase a separate headphone amp. The best suggestion is to try and find out for yourself.
Werner.
Werner Berghofer
04-08-2011, 06:15
John,
Any chance of a shot of the internals of the headphone amp?
in December 2010 6moons published a review of the Schiit headphone amps (http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/schiit/6.html) and included some photos of the Valhalla’s internals.
Werner.
You know, this is one area where online supply is king. I do hope the company can make a living from this venture and that prices won't suddenly rise once they become established. trouble is, what would customs make of this stuff if imported into the UK - I've been stung on some "bargains" in recent times..
Werner Berghofer
04-08-2011, 10:32
Dave,
trouble is, what would customs make of this stuff if imported into the UK
I don’t know the tax situation in the UK, but when importing the Valhalla amplifier this spring I had to pay the usual value-added tax; in Austria this is 20 percent. Even encluding this tax I consider the price of the Schiit products very reasonable and attractive.
Werner.
Hi Dave,
The Schiit products are available in the UK, from an agent called Highend Workshop based in High Wycombe. I contacted them a few weeks ago and Mark there confirmed that he stocks all their products. The Valhalla which I am interested in is £329 (inc VAT I assume) also with a 3 year warranty.
I am also looking at the Icon Audio HP8 MkII to replace my headline. My experience of the Beyer headphones, or at least the DT770, is they tend to be a bit bright....I'm hopeful a valve amplifier might deal with this better, even though the headline can sound really great.
Bryan
http://www.highendworkshop.co.uk/
Hi Dave,
The Schiit products are available in the UK, from an agent called Highend Workshop based in High Wycombe. I contacted them a few weeks ago and Mark there confirmed that he stocks all their products. The Valhalla which I am interested in is £329 (inc VAT I assume) also with a 3 year warranty.
I am also looking at the Icon Audio HP8 MkII to replace my headline. My experience of the Beyer headphones, or at least the DT770, is they tend to be a bit bright....I'm hopeful a valve amplifier might deal with this better, even though the headline can sound really great.
Bryan
http://www.highendworkshop.co.uk/
That's good to know, thanks Bryan I'm going to explore this :)
I can recommend the NJC Audio Monitor II headphone amp. It doesn't get a lot of mention although it has been reviewed on this site. It's neutral and revealing with plenty of energy and punch. Some talk about it is on this thread...
http://www.avforums.com/forums/headphones-headphone-amps/1307612-monitor-ii-headphone-amp-review.html
The only issue you might get is loud recordings if you are using an early gator board, which seems to go away at about -3db. This might not be an issue on mk2 boards. I suspect this will put you off though. :doh:
Sound character wise I'd say it blends the tidy, neutral, clean nature of the LM4562 and the open, fast, detailed, spacious nature of the AD826 you get when using the beresford's headamp, with the extra weight and drive you'd expect from a ballsy amp.
I have spoken with the SCHIIT guys and asked them if I could hope to secure a discount in case I buy a headamp and a DAC. The answer was, that no discounts are made unless and until the prices are raised to what they should be. I am ready to bet you any money that we will see a significant price rise in the future. Probably now is the time to buy a SCHIIT product. ;)
ROFL! What an unfortunate name for a product.... :eyebrows:
You'd have thought that the owner wouldn't have used his name on them (if that is indeed the case), knowing how it would be interpreted in English speaking countries! :mental:
Marco.
Werner Berghofer
05-08-2011, 09:23
Marco,
knowing how it would be interpreted in English speaking countries!
Schiit Audio is located in California. Don’t know if you consider this an English speaking country ;-)
Just read some pages from their website (http://schiit.com/schiit-faq/general-questions/), and you’ll note a certain humour and tonge-in-cheek tone. An example:
And yes, that is our name. And yes, it’s pronounced exactly like you think. Shee-tah. It’s a proud German name, host to a long line of audio engineers who slaved away in crumbling Teutonic fortresses as lightning lashed the dark lands outside, working to perfect the best amplification devices in the world … Or, well, no. Yep, Schiit is our name. As in “Hey man, that’s some really cool Schiit.” Or, “We like music and Schiit.” And now that we have your attention, can we show you some Schiit?
The names of the various products of Schiit Audio have their origins in northern mythology. Performance and build quality of their gear are outstanding, the prices are quite attractive: guess they could be sold with any brand and product name.
Werner.
Well, it's got us talking about them, so that's one great reason why they used the name.
Very sad if they do put the prices up hugely in the future. I know people have to make a living, but I suspect such well finished casework isn't cheap to produce, no matter where it's made on the world. The bits inside are cheap enough though (except the transformers perhaps?), so you never know :)
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