Hi. It gets hot too and needs plenty of ventilation and/or a cool listening room. This is a review and detailed measurements of the Schiit Freya S balanced preamplifier. Hi. I have zero experience with Parasound and was looking to get some opinions. Thoughts? Alas, one channel is worse there to the tune of 9 dB. Compared to the Sphinx, the Halo offers greater power, superior connectivity, balanced inputs, bass management, tone controls, and a headphone amplifier, among other features. Loading... Unsubscribe from Óscar Sánchez? American outfit, Schiit, has released a new budget phono amp, Paul Rigby reviews the Mani OK, I’ll pause a second while you think of 101 additional different jokes surrounding the name, which is apparently German and pronounced ‘Shih-tah’. File "B" was the $89 U-Turn MM phono preamplifier. Home. Bifrost vs. Parasound Zdac? performance in both the HiFi and Professional audio worlds. Worked good. No small feat! Schiit claims their Continuity output stage enables "class-A-like" performance up to the Aegir's full rated power. I would keep Saga as a pre if that's all Schiit had up their sleeve. Nothing against the Schiit, but you will run into either budget overruns or gaps in your desired functionality if you go that route. Or are Schiit products, well, total shit? Doesn't the Mytek have a pretty good preamp already built in? ... I’m considering moving from a Parasound Halo Integrated to a Freya+ and either a pair of Vidar or Aegir in mono setup. Like nearly all of Schiit’s audio gear, the Vidar has a simple design, centered around a single sheet of thick, stiff aluminum. I’ve wanted to review a full Schiit system for a while now, and recently settled for a nearly full Schiit system instead: the Freya+ preamplifier ($899) and the updated Bifrost 2 DAC ($699). Features The Brooklyn does have preamp capabilities, but I stopped using it as such as I could not find a way to set volume controls when switching inputs and it seemed to always have a tendency to be at max volume when switching from an analog input to a digital input. But … So I kinda upgraded from a Modi 2 to a Bifrost 2, and now my Magni 2 looks really tiny. tgrisham OP. I realize that the Zdac uses oversampling and the Schiits don't. Likes: pozz and vavan. These are well known, highly regarded tubes and worked extremely well in the Freya. I would really like to hear your outcome of the swagman labs power supply with your Schiit Mani. ­ All Rights Reserved. File "B" garnered 54% (240 votes), while 23% of respondents (103) felt the two phono preamplifiers were either "identical" sounding or it was "too close to call." ... Parasound Zphono preamp (1 year) Pro-ject Classic Anniversary Turntable (1 year) Opera Platea Floorstander Speakers (9 years) #2 - Rega Brio R integrated amp (3 years) Unico CD player (1 year) Technics 1200GR turntable (new) Parasound … JavaScript is disabled. To look at it, this exercise in minimalist design, from the front with its lone white LED power light it could be just about anything. Starting out and working my way in, the Bifrost 2 is a “True Multibit” DAC, employed in conjunction with Schiit’s custom in-house digital filter. I would prefer to keep them, unless something is wrong. Details; Discussions; Posts; This discussion; Message User ; 1,283 posts. If anyone knows how to solve that problem, then my previous question would be moot. Schiit themselves say the Saga measures slightly better than the Freya, because of the simpler circuit. In fact, Company/product listings on this page DO NOT imply endorsement by the site operator. Schiit buys a ton of ads in Stereophile. Bifrost 2 allows us to offer you a completely new platform that is easy to update when the time comes, without sending it to your own factory. archerious Member. Totally logical eschewing of older Windows systems is an issue fo me. Of the 4 pieces of Schiit I've ordered I have only had a delay once when I ordered my preamp.It's a great product and they're a small company so things happen. The dac is very neutral sounding with excellent micro detail resolution. The new version of Bifrost now has a balanced output, as well as an unbalanced one - this simplifies integration into the system. I own a swagman DC power supply which powers either my streamer or project phono box e. The results to my ears are a lot more than subtle. Unfortunately, the buyer experience is far from ideal with this model. or maybe Gungnir? Manuals. Steven Smith, Jul 23, 2017 #142. landroni dislikes this. X. OP . THD vs. frequency . Come join the discussion about home audio/video, TVs, projectors, screens, receivers, speakers, projects, DIY’s, product reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more! I used to own the original Brooklyn and was using it as a preamp to a Parasound Halo amp. Halo is our premier line with a reputation for going head-to-head with the most expensive equipment on the market, while costing a fraction of the price. A great DAC that makes my music a lot richer and better. The new Zdac v.2 builds on the Zdac's widely acclaimed sound quality with important new features. Steven Smith Rando. Amazing DAC. I know the DAC in the P6 got an upgrade from the P5 that might even make it a viable contender against the Brooklyn, a big maybe for sure. Subscribe Subscribed Unsubscribe 27. I've read enough to know the M32 beats the HINT 6 hands down for features BUT, a general consensus seems to have formed that, relatively, the HINT 6 delivers to a higher level sonically. pmacura.cz/audiopage.html. My question is should i see significance change to the sound quality? Errata and Requests . As I suggested in my review, Parasound’s Halo Integrated is THE integrated package to have for around $2500. In your opinion which amp does match well w/ the maggies considering my source as vinyl specifically the vpi scout jr. with ortofon … Schiit recommends Aegir works best with 88dB and above speakers. The Halo P 5 inputs include one pair of balanced XLR, phono, five RCA line-level stereo inputs and a front panel 3.5mm mini jack for portable MP3 players or … In this category, the Schitt BiFrost2 DAC with fully modifiable / removable USB and DACs were out of competition. LG OLED65E8 | Plinius Hiato | Dynaudio Contour 20 | Dynaudio Stand 6 | REL S/510 | PS Audio DirectStream | Furman IT-Reference 15i | NEEO. norfolk 13 Posted March 6, 2014. norfolk. Parasound Halo, ZoneMaster, Z Custom, and NewClassic are four distinct product families. XMC-1 Firmware. Given the near price parity, would you give the edge to one of these setups in terms of sonics and longevity? We compare two of the giants in our industry, the PA Audio Stellar Gain Cell Dac/Preamp and S300 with the Parasound P6/A23+. When I was in college, I purchased a truly fantastic NAD stereo preamp for a few hundred dollars. Schiit claims their Continuity output stage enables "class-A-like" performance up to the Aegir's full rated power. One can take a source (any source) and compare the sound of the source direct to the amplifier vs. the source through either of these preamps and INSTANTLY hear the … I have a Crest CA2 pro audio power amp which I knew had sounded pretty good in past systems. Reply to this topic; Start new topic; Recommended Posts. Transfer the audio stream to the DAC directly via the USB interface, a lot batter than perform an external signal conversion from USB to SPDIF and send it to the corresponding sockets. With nearly 500 votes cast, File "A" received 23% (104 votes). Add noise/distortion in software? This thing is well built, as its all-metal chassis is solid and I prefer the simple aesthetic in compact sizes. According to Jason, "Continuity extends the benefits of class-A (linear transconductance) far past the class-A bias region. PS: As to the XSP-1 vs. Schiit Freya debate, the comment I'd make (if I haven't made it before) is that both products measure amazingly well, yet both lack a very important virtue - transparency. I heard one with a Freya preamp driving a pair of R700s and it didn’t live up to the hype for me. "Class-A-like" is an interesting description, but what does it really mean? Planning to add at the same time a Schiit Freya pre-amp and a pair of Tekton Lores ($1000) for speakers. Compact size is ideal for most applications. I was lightly considering a Parasound Halo P6 as a replacement for the Freya. Also have old … Fantastic sound, huge improvement over my PC sound. Aloha, I have a DirectStream Junior DAC and a PS Audio S300 power amp (dual mono, class A input, class D output), connected by balanced XLR. This DAC cleans up a lot of the noise and muddiness of the lower resolution audio. Parasound Halo P5 Front Panel I don’t understand why high end audio has to be so expensive. Share Followers 2. The Bifrost 2 is a DAC that any audiophile or music lover could happily live with. The device includes many interfaces in a rather small package. Now with balanced output and remote control, and featuring Schiit’s unique True Multibit™ architecture with a time-and frequency-domain optimized digital filter. Schiit supplied me with four 6SN7 vacuum tubes. (Schiit just announced it is producing a new pulley that will run the turntable at the correct speed and will send them free to all existing customers). I was not surprised by Freya's sound as Jason was so enthusiastic about it. The design is sleek and has a gold plated RCA input jacks and loop output jacks. When I emailed Schiit about the Aegir vs the Vidar, the rep strongly suggested the Aegir for my speakers. Thread Starter #9. Used with Onkyo DS-A5 to add HiFi Airplay to your system! Thanks to everyone who voted in this non-scientific "straw poll". schiit hel vs stack, If you're driving more than that (up to roughly 400 ohms) then you'll want the Hel, but it requires an external power supply and isn't as portable. The scoring that appears on this site is determined by the site operator in its sole discretion, and should NOT be relied upon for accuracy purposes. Discussion Starter • #1 • Apr 30, 2019. While expensive is a relative term, for the sake of this discussion, let’s say expensive is anything over $1,000. Clearly the overwhelming favorite was File "B". Parasound P5 preamp measurements. Wish it had IR capability. DAC that is brutally honest and faithfully reproduce anything you put into it without adding any sweeteners or sonic enhancement. Finally have a little … I wonder if Schiit has a specification for channel differential and would fix this under warranty. Advertiser Disclosure. The Parasound is a complete system, but the Sphinx coupled with a high-end external DAC (probably the Arcam irDAC II for around $800) comes out to nearly the same price. Tiny device with headphone amp bundled in and a lot of inputs and outpts. btw the Aegir is a fantastic amp for the money with higher efficient speakers and even better in mono block mode. UMC-200 Firmware (legacy … I'd doubt the difference is audible. Another A/B power amp is the Parasound 2125v2, which is also a two-channel THX Ultra 2 power amplifier. The Freya+ features an amazing feature list for an $899 preamplifier. Schiit Yggdrasil - Schiit Freya - Parasound JC1 - PMC Fact12 Óscar Sánchez. Schiit have taken their already well-received Freya preamp and have incorporated modifications that fans of the company have eagerly asked for. Sep 16, 2020 #8. RMC-1, RMC-1L, and XMC-2 Firmware. I think it is a terrific service to the industry (and its customers, like me!) For myself, I had an excellent reason. Both are excellent though. More info, Copyright © 2020 www.bestadvisor.com. I currently run a Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ and Schiit Freya Preamp feeding 2 x Schiit Vidars and Focal Electra Be1028s w/ HSU VTF-15H & SVS PC-4000 subs. The right size at the right price setted between Modi and Gungnir. Of the 4 pieces of Schiit I've ordered I have only had a delay once when I ordered my preamp.It's a great product and they're a small company so things happen. Parasound ZDAC vs. Schiit Bifrost for desktop DAC solution. Highly recommend! Joined Aug 10, 2020 … Sep 16, 2020. Parasound Zphono Phono Preamplifier. I luv them. I am still curious about Parasound feedback though as the P6 appears to have excellent EQ, especially subwoofer, which would be nice to have. Looking to sell it or trade soon. Joined: Jul 23, 2017 Likes Received: 0 Dislikes Received: 2 Trophy Points: 1 Location: Schwartz, Texas. Great performance in the compact size. Newbie; Returning Member; 13 34 posts; Location Bakersfield, CA; Report; Share ; Posted March 6, 2014. In any case, I prefer the sound of the JFET mode, which Saga doesn't have. If that is resolved, then it … Schiit Bifrost 2 True Multibit Autonomy DAC with Unison USB - D to A converter, Volume Control Lock Out Switch, Power On, Input Selector, Volume Control, Main Volume Control, Apple OS, Microsoft Windows, Linux, Apple iOS, Android, Optical Input, Coaxial Input, USB, Phones, 6.3mm jack, Analog Stereo RCA, XLR Out, Trigger In / Out, XLR Out, Analog Stereo RCA, Coaxial Input, Optical Input, USB, Premium Analog Devices, Re-clocking system, Jitter reduction, High capacity toroid power transformer, MicroSD Supported, LED Indicators, Schiit's True Multibit, Autonomy Architecture, Unison USB, TOPPING NX4 DSD Portable Audio Amplifier, Ultra Slim with USB DAC Port, iFi nano iDSD Black Label Portable USB DAC and Headphone Amplifier with MQA and DSD, Shanling UP4 Wireless Headset Amp,Bluetooth 5.0 Ultra Low Latency, Type-c USB DAC, Fiio BTR5 Native DSD256 Hi-Res CSR8675 Bluetooth5.0 Receiver/USB DAC/DSD Headphone Amp, Denon DA-10 Portable USB DAC / Portable Headphone Amp, Audinst HUD-mx1 DAC with headphone amplifier, Woo Audio WA7 Fireflies Headphone Amplifier/DAC in Silver, Nad D1050 USB Digital to Analog Converter, Nad D3020 v2 Hybrid Digital Integrated Amplifier, Fiio Q5 Bluetooth aptX and DSD-Capable DAC Amplifier, Fiio Q5S Bluetooth 5.0 DSD | 768K/32Bit DAC Amplifier, iFi xCAN Portable Balanced Dual Mono Headphone Amplifier, iFi xDSD Portable Bluetooth DAC and Headphone Amplifier, iFi micro iDSD Black Label DAC/Headphone Amplifier/Preamp with MQA and DSD, Audio-Technica AT-PHA55BT Wireless Headphone Amplifier, Fiio BTR3 HiFi Bluetooth Receiver&USB DAC, Schiit Modi 3 D/A Converter - Delta-Sigma DAC, Sony PHA-1A Portable Hi-Res DAC/Headphone Amplifier, Silver, Fiio E12A Mont Blanc IEM Special Edition Portable Headphone Amp, Best Floor Speakers to Spice up Your Home Audio System, Best Wireless Earbuds to Never Part With Your Favorite Music. MC-700 Firmware. Is the Gungnir that … It’s a nice amp for the price though. About The Forum Updates. These are well known, highly regarded tubes and … XPA-2 Gen3 vs Parasound 2250 v2 (NEW) Emotiva Forums - v.20. Will be talking to Schiit on Monday. I currently run a Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ and Schiit Freya Preamp feeding 2 x Schiit Vidars and Focal Electra Be1028s w/ HSU VTF-15H & SVS PC-4000 subs. A compelling experience whether using it with headphones or to drive active monitors in a desktop system. Especially since the Sol turntable is so well conceived, designed, executed, made in America and remarkably priced at $799 including a $119 Audio Technica AT-VM95EN cartridge. Schiit’s little amplifier punches way above its weight. Their direct-to-consumer standalone components, some advertised for gaming and office setups, start at just $99. The tube mode with Saga is a buffer, with Freya it is an active preamp tube mode, and will give you full balanced output. I […] "Class-A-like" is an interesting description, but what does it really mean? Forums. Schiit and Orbit are just a couple of examples of how quality, affordable audio is coming to market direct from manufacturers. The Freya S costs US $599 from the company plus shipping cost. This unit receives digital audio through an open and coaxial input, as well as via USB, with an output to a pair of RCA terminals so that it differs from the other DACs for headphones only. As it is, the Schiit Freya S is good but given the channel distortion issue, I can't fully recommend it. It struggled driving the Kef compared to the Rega Elex and the pair were just as noisy as the Rega. Except as expressly set forth in our Terms of Use, all representations and warranties regarding the information presented on this page are disclaimed. This site is a free online resource that strives to offer helpful content and comparison features to its visitors. Intermodulation 13+14kHz test. It never failed to perform admirably, not only within its modest price point but way beyond. I am very happy with … (Rest of system is Rega RP1, Musical Fidelity X-LPS and XA1 (using as a preamp) and Parasound A23). It offered a very "analog" sound in an attractive, relatively affordable package. Parasound has added a separate analog volume control for its line outputs so you can now connect the Zdac v.2 directly to a power amp and save the expense of a preamplifier. Again, there is a standby mechanism (unlike the Vidar), channel status and heat indicators. Steve Guttenberg, CNET "Fueled by the Aegir, the LS50's sound took on a burnished glow, with the tone richer and sweeter than I'm used to. Roon endpoint USBridge Signature>YggyA2 Unison>Freya>Parasound JC1 monoblocks/MartinLogan descent i sub/Focal Electra 1027be speakers- livingroom. https://www.stereophile.com/content/schiit-audio-ragnarok-integrated-amplifier Video: Sony Alpha 6000 (No audio)Audio: Tascam DR05Holly Cole: If you go away I’d like to add a sub $2000 tube preamp. Product Comparison: Parasound Zdac V.2 vs Schiit Bifrost 2. Firmware. Unlike many of their competitors, Schiit Audio seemingly intends to guide hi-fi beginners up the quality/price ladder. I'll play with it, sure, but the lack of a headphone jack on the Schiit models means nothing to me. Balanced is preferred, but not a deal breaker. Cancel Unsubscribe. And the descriptions I've read seem up my alley sonically speaking. The Bifrost 2 is nothing less than a complete re-thinking of what an affordable DAC should be. http://www.audiophilia.com/reviews/2017/11/8/mytek-brooklyn-dac-, VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter, Suite 901, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. Schiit Audio Freya+ Preamplifier and Vidar Amplifier. Parasound excellence in a small package. Please be advised that the operator of this site accepts advertising compensation from certain companies that appear on the site, and such compensation impacts the location and order in … I think this could satisfy my ideal balance between price, performance, and physical size. Parasound 2125v2. Executive decision: no Schiit jokes, ok? Please be advised that the operator of this site accepts advertising compensation from certain companies that appear on the site, and such compensation impacts the location and order in which the companies (and/or their products) are presented, and in some cases may also impact the scoring that is assigned to them. According to Jason, "Continuity extends the benefits of class-A (linear transconductance) far past the class-A bias region. Produces 150 watts per channel into an 8 ohms. Exceptional sound from the analog output of all our digital sources, including Apple TV, high res and regular TV sound. Equipment Forums. RND4mGuy, Oct 16, 2019 #4. This matters less to me than the sound. Thank you for taking the time to set this … that you provide a forum for these products to be experienced. btw the Aegir is a fantastic amp for the money with higher efficient speakers and even better in mono block mode.