Phono Stage_Skoll-by Schiit Audio

Good to learn of a quality affordable phono stage! Thanks @quincy ​​!

I sent them an email stating the above.

Very nice.

Not to be a Debby Downer, but it is always good to take a deep breath and listen for a while to any new component, and even AB it with the component that is being replaced, before deciding on your level of satisfaction.  In this case though, I suspect the lower noise floor, just by itself, is reason enough to feel good about the upgrade.

Oh, I'm sorry, I did that.  I listened to a Bob Dylan record on the prior C-J phono amp, then disconnected it and plugged in the Schiit phono.  Took perhaps 30 minutes putzing with cables and power.  Listened to the same record again.  Improvement was immediate.  Now, that being said, there may be something wrong with the C-J Phono that needs attention, but other than the low hum described (which is has done for 20 years) it seemed to work just fine.  

I get what your saying because some time ago I was putzing with loading in the C-J unit.  At 47K ohms I thought it sounded better, but after a week of listening I switched to 100 ohms because of brightness....

I'll break it in for a week or so and chime back if something changes.

@quincy 

👍

Quincy, with what cartridge did you go from 47K to 100 ohms load? Thx

I have had a Lyra Delos, moving coil cart for the last 10~12 years which puts out ~.0.5mV of signal.  Boron cantilever, line contact diamond stylus.  It replaced a Benz Micro Glider MC around the same price point. (a shade under $2K).  I have always felt that the C-J EF1 was the weak link in my system.  C-J Premier 17LS preamp.  C-J LP66S amp.  All vacuum tube set up.  My ear likes tubes over solid state.  Kef Reference 3~2 speakers,  SVS unported subwoofers (2).  (The SVS have ~600 Watt class D powered amps built into them....they do a good job of digging into the very bottom end)  Very good audioquest king cobra interconnects along with audioquest speaker cable to all 4 speakers.  All the same length with pure silver connectors.

I originally had the loading set to 200 Ohms resistance in the EF-1.  I got some bug to change it, most likely from reading some posts here in regards to loading.....47K (basically unloaded) was not the way to go with a moving coil....  We all live and learn.  Its a fun hobby!

Oops...Forgot the J.A. Michael turntable and SME V tonearm w/ six nines pure silver cable running from the cart to the phono stage..  A very nice turntable rig I've had for over 25 years.....

Well, hello crew, I'm back after listening for a few weeks.  No doubt this Schiit phono stage sounds better than the C-J EF1.  Hands down.  Not sure how they can build and sell such a fine unit for $400, but they managed!

Well, hello crew, I'm back after listening for a few weeks.  No doubt this Schiit phono stage sounds better than the C-J EF1.  Hands down.  Not sure how they can build and sell such a fine unit for $400, but they managed!

December 12th.  Still impressed with the  Schiit phono stage!  No complaints.  Definitely sounds better than the C-J unit it replaced.

If you're looking for a high quality, lower cost solution for a Phono Stage, this be the one!!  

@quincy Thanks for this thread, I happen to be shopping phono stages at this time. Do you have any criticisms, even minor ones, of this device?

I think you should sell me the broken defective hummer of a   CJ phono stage….i am serious

You might want to read founders book Schitt Happened.. it’s a fun read and will give you insights into how they do what they do for very good value…

Enjoy the music

Tom, I promised my youngest daughter (an aspiring audiophile) that I would gift  the C-J unit to her.  If not for that, I would have sold it to you .

Schiit AI says it's ok to leave the phono on all the time.  The C-J unit did not have any power switch and was on for 20+ years; and both utilize MOSFET's , as I recall, so most likely ok??

It (Schiit) runs on the warm side, not hot, warm, so I'm a little anal about leaving it on.  It has a power switch on the back, which is hard to find.

Really  nit picky... I know. 

Another tid bit of discovery.  I've been playing around with the gain stages.  I prefer 70 dB of gain over all other settings.  

Yes, you get higher volume, but mids and highs are more pronounced.  It could be a byproduct of my particular set up and equipment selection.

It just sounds better.

Now, I have capacitive loading at 50p.  I'm not well schooled on this setting.  The old C- J unit only had gain and resistive loading.  

Any one have recommendations?

I originally had the loading set to 200 Ohms resistance in the EF-1.  I got some bug to change it, most likely from reading some posts here in regards to loading.....47K (basically unloaded) was not the way to go with a moving coil....  We all live and learn.  Its a fun hobby!

Now, I have capacitive loading at 50p.  I'm not well schooled on this setting.  The old C- J unit only had gain and resistive loading.  

Any one have recommendations?

As it turns out, the old adage to experiment for yourself (i.e. from Eveanna Manley and her staff) may very well be true. Of all people it seems that ever-subjectivist Herb Reichert brought this to the fore recently while experimenting with a Denon 103. https://www.stereophile.com/content/dispelling-myth-about-phono-cartridge-loading

That was a interesting read.  

I'll digest it a bit and read it again.  Thanks for your 2 cents!

It resonates (pun) with my own observations. Adjusting load is very easy with my phono stage and I have two turntables hooked up to it with two very different cartridges installed on each. With changing the load I primarily hear a change in gain but also an increase in distortion as the load goes down towards 47K. Too much loading and the sound becomes sterile and lifeless, too little and the sound becomes helplessly bloated and tubby (and I mean tubby, not tube-y). Somewhere in between the sound is “right”. I listen for a combination of tight bass and depth of sound. Not soundstage but sound.
I think Herb Reichert used the analogy of using an amp that features adjustable negative feedback and reading the description of how the sound changes (depending on the amp) from no negative feedback to high negative feedback the effect is quite similar.

Considering a Skoll. Interested in opinions.

• TT is Thorens TD-1601 with MI cart
• Integrated is Yamaha A-S2200 or 3200.

If I go balanced XLR out of TT to the Skoll and unbalanced RCA unbalanced into the integrated:

• is this a no/no, in general?
• i’m guessing the resulting signal into the integrated will be unbalanced?
• is there benefit of balanced I to the preamp, even if not out the the integrated.

Maybe the core question is: which would be better;

1. TT>XLR>Skoll>RCA>integrated
2. TT>RCA>Skoll>RCA>integrated

PS: I know the integrated has XLR balanced in, but that a question for another day.

In my humble opinion I would keep the hook up all the same type.  If not, you have to purchase very special and expensive interconnects that have the two different types of hookups.  Stay with RCA to RCA.  Lou

I did pull the trigger on the Schitt Skoll, and the Thorens TD 1601. Very happy. I’m running it fully balanced XLR from the turntable to the integrated. The noise floor is zero. I’ve never heard a single hum, which plagued my old rig.

My only complaint is a small one. It does run a bit on the warm side, even when not in use. So I like to turn it off when I’m not using it. The power switch is a tiny little toggle on the back, which is really awkward to reach into the rack to turn off. They’ve gone to so much trouble to give a remote control, saying “you don’t have to get off the couch”, couldn’t they have made this most basic function a little simpler? 

And, BTW, if you are going to buy a Thorens sprung table, you’re going to need a wall shelf.  Unless you, and your dog, commit to only sitting down, while records are spinning.

Gem, congratulations!  

Enjoy the music!

Mine runs a tad warm also.

I've learned to ignore it...

Well, well...a year later and I'm still impressed and liking this phono stage.  I hooked up my old CJ unit at the daughter's house.  It was very impressive how much the sound stage improved in their system...

Thank you for the review and the long term updates.  I am about to (finally) get my Marantz TT-15s1 turntable (after selling my ProJect Debut Carbon Evo almost 6 months ago) and was seriously looking into this phono preamp.  I use a Parasound HINT 6 integrated that has one pair of balanced inputs and that's how I intend to use the Skoll.  

Anyway this thread with long term updates has been really helpful on this matter.