What a pile of Schiit

..and the Lokius. It wouldn't sound like this without that in the chain.

I was going to build a Crackatoa but I didn't want to wait three weeks and the guy at Bottlehead fell through on a kit I could just drop in and pick up.

Eventually a Crackatoa or a Mainline. Then call it a day. Headphones are my "3rd" system.

But yes, listened to it this morning, crazy crazy good. I'm sure the DAC has a lot to do with it, it is excellent.

@borat-sagdiyev - Well, to ME it was 'greatly' - can't swear it will be for you! To me, what it mostly improved was the '3-D, holographic' aspects of the sound, especially through Utopia headphones. I don't need the utmost detail; that's why I like tube or tube-y sounding amps, like Lyr 3 and QS. 

And if you love the Lyr 3 as much as you do, I hope at some point you'll at least give a try to some other amps. Lyr 3 is a fine amp and a fine value, but it's just the beginning of a whole world of amplification out there that would REALLY blow your mind (and hopefully not your wallet!). 

Good luck with your tube experimentation! 

Greatly improve with another tube? Greatly? I mean its already pushing my cans to subsonic frequency with incredible control and the top end is like some kind of quantum microscope, every grain of billions of grains of sand, all perfectly defined. Toe tapping drive and verve and dimension. Describe how it would improve so much with another tube, greatly is a powerful word. This amp is jaw dropper as is. Thanks!

(I do plan on going on a tube spree, so I guess I'll find out.)

@borat-sagdiyev - I had a Lyr 3, and I upgraded the tube with another that was not very expensive, and it improved the sound significantly. So you might want to try a few as long as you don't have to fork out too much.

Very good amp and good value for money, as was the Quicksilver tube headphone amp I replaced it with, and that came in at a little under $1000. That Lokius is very good to have around, too! 

Wow, I just plugged in my new Lokius EQ and it has made my system incredible but with the LYR3, the LYR3 is officially the best amplifier I have ever heard in my life, bar none. It is otherworldly on my Gustard X26 Pro and on my 250 ohm DT770PRO. I dont know what the stock tube is but good choice Schiit!

I honestly am overwhelmed by it and can’t believe I got this level of performance for $600. Crazy.

If Parasound is bang for buck, this is nuclear supernova levels per buck.

Definitely throw in a Lokius. You'll thank me.

I just bought a Lyr 3 and spent last night bring gobsmacked by it. It is the best sounding amplifier I've ever owned and I've had some good stuff. Absolutely incredible. I always thought that in this class of products Emotiva would always have them beaten via Chinese production. This product is far and away more bang for buck than any of the few thousand in gear I've bought from Emo over the last decade.

I dont know how they do it? It is an overwhelmingly high end sound. Running off a Gustard X26 Pro dac.

Hey all. I have the Asgard 3 I order the multi card at the same time and they installed for me. 

Just ordered the Jotunheim 2. Going to pair it with a Denefrips Ares DAC and use it with my LCD-2C. Seems like Schiit is a company you either love or hate. I owned the Yggy for a while, but it was too much for me so I sold it. I have emailed Jason a few times and he always responds to my questions. The only downer is that the Jotunheim is back ordered and I have to wait 6-8 weeks, or whenever they get the parts. Covid sucks....

@shooter41   " I have no reason to stop buying this Schiit. (I know, groan, but everybody else was doing it)"

LOL.  It is hard to resist, isn't it.

So I thought I was Schiit out of luck.  But I actually received a follow up note from Schiit regarding my questions.  Laura gave a professional and helpful answer. So I amend my last post.  It seems they are capable of assisting their customers.

Their customer service is not that bad. They've answered every question I've ever had, including just the other day when I asked if they had any clue what could be causing an incompatibility issue between a streamer I'd bought and my Yggdrasil. They responded at 11 on Sat night and gave a few possibilities, but ultimately said they'd have to work with the streamer manufacturer to solve such an issue. Exactly what the owner of the streamer maker told me, and that's a high-end company known for their customer service that starts with a "B". 

As I said above, this is my fourth product from Schiit, and I don't continue to spend my money with companies that exhibit poor customer service. I have no reason to stop buying this Schiit. (I know, groan, but everybody else was doing it)

@highway_chile - I think that 'compatible with any headphone' has more to do with marketing than anything else. I doubt they'd expect anybody to think that this $100 will sound great driving Susvara headphones, for example. It would drive them, yes, but the sound would be very poor. But yes, I'd think they should say something if it requires headphones with cables. 

Thought I would give it one more try.  Most everyone deserves a second chance, right?

So I inquire about the return policy for the Lyr 3 with a phono card as the web site in not perfectly clear on that.  Also question the restocking fee for gear with options installed.

This time Savanna is on the case.  Her email:  "not sure how modifications work."

That was it.  No more.

Clearly Schiit has a take it or leave it approach.  I have not doubt some of their gear may sound great for the money.  But if you need any help...well, don't plan on them being there for you.  Clearly, they don't give a Schiit.

Several months ago I purchased the Schiit Magni+ headphone amplifier. The only headphone amp I owned was the Fiio Montblanc E12, which I purchased to use with the X5II DAP, primarily for use when I'm away from home. It does a fine job for that purpose, but being battery powered it isn't ideal for home use.

So I did some research and bought the Magni+; a great reputation and only $100.

Their website states it is "all the amp you'll ever need for any headphone."

However, I was very disappointed to discover that the unit would suffer consistent 30 second dropouts, so I emailed the company. I explained the various methods I had used to connect the device to my Sennheiser RS180 wireless headphones, including what interconnects I was using, etc.

They responded by telling me I wasn't connecting it correctly and recommended alternate methods. Same result. 

So they sent me a new unit. Same results. 

When I emailed again, they responded by telling me that the Magni+ does not work with wireless headphones, and there would be a restocking fee should I choose to return it.

I replied asking them how they could charge me a restocking fee when their website says it is for "any headphone." They did not reply to me, but they did issue a full refund.

I bought a Monolith Spark for the same price, and I am pleased with it.

Schiit's website still makes the same false claim as to the Magni+'s compatability with "any headphone."

@ cjveltman

Thomas Crapper, the Brit who invented the flushable loo way back in the day, might have a thing or two to say about this company.

Another, far more contemporary, enthusiast for what Schiit manufactures is Randall Messman, whose "brain housing unit" (that’s how Randall himself describes the seat of his thought processes) inspired him to become "The Cheap Audio Man." He is a big proponent of GOOD-VALUE-FOR-MONEY, INEXPENSIVE audio gear. Schiitt occupies a prime place in the top echelon of his recommendations. His many YouTube reviews are well worth watching: here’s one sample of his art: Room Treatment Doesn’t Work... Sometimes, Grunge Music is the Best, and Ron is BACK!!!!!! - YouTube

Randall’s reviews are a lot of fun to watch, and he has a great way of lightening up our sometimes-all-too-serious audiophile discussions.

WELL ,what do you want from a Shitt company. 

I’ve got two Aegirs, a Freya and an Yggy. I don’t think you can get better SQ for the money.

HOWEVER, their customer service is pretty bad. Either there’s no high level person in charge of customer service, they don’t train their people, or they can’t find good people. Every manufacturer is suffering from the same problems since the COVID giveaways started.

Thats why I am a Bryston fan. I bought a used BDP Pi. MM error’d out first thing. I called up Bryston and said hey I know you dont have to help 😿 but blah blah blah. They shipped me the hardware,tools and instructions to fix it without a question and free of charge.

BOT-1 not even made or supported now but I shipped mine back and they checked it out, again for free.

Schiit is an interesting company. The 2 principals of the company have decades of experience in high-end audio (Sumo/Stoddard & Theta/Moffat). Theta was a particularly visionary brand in early digital...one that resonates to this day with the growing popularity of multibit and NOS DACs. After 20-30 years in the high-end 2-channel trenches, these men started Schiit. In a way, that’s when things got way more interesting.

Headphone audio was never as big as high-end 2-channel audio (which itself was never close to big using any standard business metric). But headphone audio was vestigial back in the day. But since 2010 when Schiit was started, headphone audio has grown a LOT. It’s still not truly big, but it’s certainly bigger than before. And Schiit clearly had something to do with that growth.

Schiit was among the first headphone audio companies to offer a coherent product & model set, affordably priced and offering clear upgrade paths within the Schiit product domain. These guys really know what they’re doing as businessmen. This includes watching other meta-trends in audio, like the resurgence of vinyl, which was repeatedly declared dead yet never went away. And so Schiit launched a turntable a couple years ago.

As for me, I have a lot of headphone gear--not just the headphones, but also electronics (8 amplifiers, several of which are also preamps; 3 DACs; SPDIF/DDC boxes; etc). My headphone audio tastes (and wallet) took me higher up the audio food chain than Schiit. But I’ve run into them often.

Schiit is a big exhibitor at headphone audio shows. I mean large booths, multiple representatives staffing it, lots of product. They do it right. I’ve heard a number of their products at shows. I admire the clever design and product differentiation of the company’s gear.

I only bought one Schiit product. It was B-stock (a SPDIF converter). It didn’t work well, so I called, hoping to get the "no returns for B-stock" policy waived. No such luck. Schiit is matter-of-fact to the point of bluntness in their dealings with customers. No warm hugs and favors. That's who they are; they don’t apologize for it.

I have no axe to grind with this company. If you're getting started in headphone audio, you would do well to check out their stuff. Beyond their low-end lineup, their big DAC, Yggdrasil (not cheap, but also not terribly expensive by high-end standards) competes well with other big DACs (some far more expensive) in the high-end world.

In fact, that DAC’s name illustrates my only real beef with Schiit. The names (and nicknames) drive me nuts. Hard to say, hard to spell, hard to remember. The names seem affected. Beyond that, I wish them well...

IS this a repeat post?

I think it is one of those little annoyance situations we all run into now and then. It is not going to ruin Shitt as a company.  I have a bifrost connected to a bluesound node2. It is completely silent and more fluid sounding, more natural than the built in DAC. I am happy with it. 

I have many Schiit products and they are great value for modest systems with one exception. The Yggdrasil (less is more) is a fabulous DAC (at any price). I used it to replace two DACs that were twice the cost. If you want better customer service buy from a brick and mortar store.

One item missing from my list above is (5) a ’Mono’ button. Older recordings, and the CDs that transcribe them to the modern era really benefit. I have the mono option on my phono preamp, but having a ’mono’ control on the preamp allows me to get the same benefit from the CDs. And some people I know, professional musicians at that, prefer mono. At least you don’t have to worry so much about finding a ’sweet spot’ when listening in monaural mode.

Edit: But the sound from the Schiit ain't shit, it is still great and I believe you would have to pay 10 times more to get something that sounds palpably better.

I have bought a number of Schiit items.  They were all good values and performed better than expected.
One of the reasons they are good values is the relative lack of customer service. It makes no sense chat up an inexpensive piece of equipment.  Buy it, try it, return it if you don't like it.

I am using a Loki with Parasound preamp & Bryston monoblocks, no discernable hum.  It did take "awhile" to get a black one, for some time only silver available (guess supply chain isssues) but they were nice about it and sent me a tshirt that says "schitt happens".  

As an owner of two piles of Schiit, and a new Forum member, I thought I would chime in on this thread and offer my thoughts on all matters Schiit. First off, Schiit has a GREAT website, easy to navigate, well thought out, all the information you need to make an informed purchasing decision. Production delays aside, I’ve gotten good responses from Schiit when I ask them about gear matching or performance issues, see more below. When I got interested in getting back into audio about two years ago, the firm functioned as my ‘gateway drug’ into the world of HiFi. I started ordering all my gear from them and wound up with one pile of Schiit on my desk, and another pile of Schiit as my main system.

The Jotenheim 2 serves mostly as a preamp for my desktop system, the Modius DAC is plugged into it so that I can use a small Blueray player into my son’s old Pioneer SX-1900. The only issue I’ve had with either piece of Schiit in this system is the message I get from my I-Phone when I plug my Camera Adapter into it when the Camera Adapter is also plugged into the Modius. The I-Phone complains it has been attached to unsupported equipment even though it sometimes recognizes the Modius. Schiit recommends using the Camera Adapter, so I’m a bit disappointed that it doesn’t recognize the Modius as supported equipment. But it may be a cable problem, since the microUSB cable didn’t come from them. No problems with the sound. 
 

On the main system I have employed the Freya+, the Yggdrasil GS, a Loki Mini, a Mani, and a SYS. I have had no problems from the Yggdrasil, it anchors the digital side of my system, adding to the soundstage, displaying excellent imaging, and a general quality of ‘air,’ particularly to better recordings. (Unfortunately, recordings that aren’t too great sound awful.) 

I detected a buzz on the Mani when the system was turned up loud enough to get decent volume out of my old Stanton 500 II cartridge. I called and talked to Nick, and he confirmed, in so many words, that the noise was coming from the Mani. I upgraded to ELAC PPA-2 phono stage with balanced outputs and inputs. It is very quiet —and it cost nearly ten times as much. You get what you pay for, if you’re careful. 
 

The Freya+ ‘fit the bill,’ when I bought it, and I have no real problem with the sound with a single exception of the time when listening to an Electric Light Orchestra LP, the twin horns clashed most unpleasantly when the Freya+ was in tube mode. I haven’t been able to replicate the issue (the Mani was not involved), but shifting over to buffer mode solved it then. I left it in buffer mode for a long time after that. Having the option to change modes is a godsend, so I won’t ever get rid of the Freya+, but I will be replacing it. Why? User interface issues which I will list. 
(1) There is no balance control. This wasn’t a problem for me at first, because my first ‘power amp’ was actually a PA amp (RadioShack MPA-250 reportedly made for them by Pyle) with gain controls for both left and right channels. But when I upgraded to a tube amp, the only control I found on it switches the amp from Triode to Ultra-linear mode. 
(2) The volume control has no legible means of reporting its level. The knob has smooth sides, and there is a small ‘dot’ that requires one’s nose be inches away and looking directly at it to see it. I used to be able to feel it’s outline, but I’ve now worn the casting flash edging away. This was’t an issue until I started switching from my Stanton 500 gained-to-the-max phono stage and the strong signal I was getting from my CD player. I thought I blew my speakers up a couple of times. Not a pleasant experience. I finally dug a knob from an old computer switch box out of my stash and replaced the knob on the Freya+ — it looks ugly, black plastic against the silver, but it works. I can tell at-a-glance where my level is set. (The knob starts round at the faceplate and transitions smoothly to a wide ‘blade’ at the fingertips: thumb and forefinger grip on either side of a brightly white stripe inset in the black phenolic.) This has ceased to be an issue since I upgraded both my turntable and cartridge: I’m now running the high output moving coil Songbird from Sumiko which is able to more nearly match my CD transport. But I’m keeping the black knob on the unit just the same  

(3) Th Source Selection Control. The five (5) possible sources are selected by means of a single push button (PB). This means that to switch to any source immediately to the left, you must walk through them all, because there is no way (I know of) to move to the left  The control must have been developed by a dyslexic NASCAR driver (NASCAR ovals force a driver to turn left continuously.) I realize that a rotary knob adds expense and takes up real estate, but a second button or some sort of bidirectional control would be nice.

(4) The mute switch is a bit idiosyncratic, if you enable the mute function, the other controls are locked out. This means you can’t use it in ways that other manufacturers recommend (like Audio Research) to, for instance  mute the outputs whilst switching sources or changing modes. In fairness, I believe Schiit has programmed the outputs to mute themselves when the other buttons are operated, particularly the source select control, I’m not sure about the mode control. So it seems the mute button is simply used to disconnect the outputs when another adjust to the system is made, or, for the sake of an interruption, as in, “Hey honey, where did you put the peanut butter?”

Could my problems with the Freya+ be resolved? Yes  But I would need an amp with volume control, a balanced SYS for level matching, a modified knob (see above), etc.

The point is, the Schiit Freya+ provides you with the sound you desire, but not the ease of use you may require. 

To finish up on this pile of Schiit, I used the Loki Mini on my original amp when I ran across a recording with too much treble or not enough bass. The only issue was I couldn’t tell where the different knobs were set by looking at them, I had to actually turn the control to find the detent. Once again, the sides were smooth. I plan to go back to Schiit in the future to buy the balanced version, or perhaps their Lokius Maximus I think they call it. 
 

Finally, used a SYS on my girlfriend’s system to level match her Echo Dot to her CD player on her older Pioneer receiver (can’t remember the model number). It could have helped me level match the CD player to the turntable, but I would have to have used the analog outs from the CD player. I’m now using a transport.

What do I think of Schiit? I think they are a great company and they offer some great products and some not-so-great products. They helped me in a big way get serious about audio. I expect I will buy from them again (see above). But as much sound as they offer for your dollar, you may have to pony up to pay for the missing ease-of-use features their gear all-too-often lacks.

Indeed, I've read accounts of various Loki models being used in some pretty high-end systems and they only get raves. I too suspect the user above has something else going on that's causing the hum.

In my 110db 1 watt horn system the eq ads no hum. I suspect user error.

The complaints about Schiit are nonsense!

       I concur!

I'll say this I was  very happy with my freya+ and had a chance to buy a used rogue rp-7, which at five times the price new I figured would best the Freya + by a long shot. Well not necessarily true. It's taken some time and me thinks it's a little better but not a night and day difference as I was hoping for, so the freya isn't going anywhere for now until I'm sure!  I even sent the rogue to rogue audio for a repair because it did have some high level distortion and frankly sounded terrible with the stock tubes, I had to buy some nos tubes at half the cost of the freya! 

Excellent products and service.

Can not beat the price and quality!

I owned the Bi-Frost Multibit, and have in use, the Gungnir, and Less is more YGGY.

All excellent!

The complaints about Schiit are nonsense!

@kcroyals +1

@dogfish +1

@jallan  +3

@jl35 +2

I also had a bad customer service experience with Schiit.  

NOTE: if you buy a used Schiit product, there is no warranty at all.

I bought a new-in-box Freya + on USAM.  The tube section was unbalanced.  I called Schiit to ask what the proper approach was to find out if a tube was bad. They told me they couldn't help me because their policy is that their warranty is not transferrable and this was a warranty question.  I said, I'm just looking for information.  Sorry.  Can't help you. But you can buy a new set of tubes for over double the market rate.  Lesson learned. 

I’ve got two Aegirs, a Freya and an Yggy.  I don’t think you can get better SQ for the money.

HOWEVER, their customer service is pretty bad.  Either there’s no high level person in charge of customer service, they don’t train their people, or they can’t find good people.  Every manufacturer is suffering from the same problems since the COVID giveaways started.

Had a Bifrost 2 for awhile.  Great piece of equipment.  I decided to return when I went down the DSD rabbit hole and opted for an RME ADI 2.   They accepted return without question and issued a prompt refund.  I’d buy from them again.

Currently own original Saga, I find it excellent...also owned Vidar and Bifrost, both also excellent...got quick, helpful responses to a couple of questions I emailed them...

Well, since there is only ONE audio company in the world, what are you going to do?

R

I have found the product I bought, the Bi-Frost, was everything and then some.

However the service and sales people are VERY black& white, with a take it or leave it attitude. Not customer friendly at all!

JD

I love the Loki ...!

I have a Yggdrasil, a Loki, a Saga, and bought Hel, Modi multibit, and Vali for my sons. They are all fabulous, not just for the money. The Saga blows me away with how great it sounds (my daily driver is a Cary SLP05 ultimate upgrade). I have always had rapid service and quick responses from them. Best audio company I have dealt with in 50 years of buying audio.

I have never used the Jotunheim as a headphone amp. I bought it as a preamp. It is a great deal at $499 with the phono card.  I am using it in my main system. My next major purchase will be a Decware tubed phono stage, but I can live with this one without feeling deprived. 

To move up to a better phono stage than either the Mani or their phono card you will be to spend five to ten times more.  The Jotunheims I have are the old model...not the Jotunheim 2. The second one I bought as b stock...no returning it. For headphones it does have a quarter inch jack and a four pin XLR for balanced headphones. I recommend getting a DAC with balanced outputs If you don't have one. The Modius or the Bifrost2 would pair nicely with it. 

Like I said I love it. It is versatile and offers three inputs. I don't see me ever paying for one of their USB only DAC cards. A stand alone DAC gives you a USB input for a streamer and coaxial or Toslink for a transport. 

I too have had good luck with Schiit products. I'm currently using their Gungnir MB in my main system.

@brockwired   Finally--someone who has actually heard the piece!  So can you elaborate a bit on the sound quality of the phono card.  I agree, the layout looks cleaner than the mani and thought it might have an advantage in my case for reasons noted.  Also have you ever used this as a headphone amp?

@corelli 

I had the same problem with Schiit that you did. Same runaround too. That's Okay. I showed them.

 I bought the Jotunheim instead.  It makes a great quick and dirty preamp that is very versatile. You get a preamp that has a phono input, an RCA input and an XLR input. It also has RCA and XLR outputs. This is the only headphone/preamp they make with three inputs. All others have two.

I called it the poor man's Freya.  Little did I know at the time that it shares the same topology as the Freya S. Their phono card measures better than the Mani. I think that it is because of its simplicity. 

I am using the Jotunheim in my main system along with a Gungnir Multibit and a SOTA Sapphire turntable. I like the Jotunheim so much I bought a second one to use in a system for my daughter.

The first stuff I bought from Schiit in 2018 was a Saga and a Modi 3 for my living room. I also have a Vali2/Modi Multibit in the bedroom for my headphones. 

I have been very happy with everything that I have gotten from Schiit. I am more of a tube guy, but sometimes you gotta go with what you can afford.  

Lotta schiit talkin in this thread… I’ve had the Schiit modi multibit DAC for about a year now and have been very pleased with it. I also use the SYS to switch between analog and digital sources. But, since most of the other components in my system have been upgraded, it’s likely that the DAC will be replaced next. Whether I stick with Schiit or go another route is undetermined but my experience with them at least doesn’t rule out trying one of their higher end DACs. 

I did some musical chairs with my gear today since I wanted to reunite my Benchmark gear in the Livingroom system. What that meant was that the Schit Freya+, that I bought on a whim, made an entrance in my office system. It replaced the Topping pre90.

The Freya+ | KRELL Duo 175XD | Thiel CS3.7. Sounded surprisingly good. I am going to listen to this combo regularly. A simple matter of changing 1 XLR to the amp. I normally use the CODA 07x preamp.

The Freya+ | CODA #8 | RAAL SR1a. Rather good. Not reference class as with my CODA 07x preamp but the tubes make for a fun listen with the bright SR1a.

This combo was not in the office, but I tried the Freya+ | Benchmark AHB2 | RAAL SR1a. This was an amazing combo and the reason I never returned the Freya+ to Schitt during the trial period. 

I am glad I got the Freya+. It will add for some fun listens.

There are a number of posters that are clearly talking out of their posterior here. I'm on my fourth Schiit product, a Yggdrasil "Less-Is-More" version. I've been extremely pleased with all of them. The Yggdrasil is, without a doubt, one of the best bang-for-the-buck DACs available from ANY maker, and at $2150, it ain't cheap. Still a bargain, like pretty much everything they make. Schiit is very well respected among the audio press and the audio world in general, and for good reason. They've built a very successful business by providing excellent products at sane prices and making everything right here in the U.S., but you can't please everyone. I'm sure they'll be fine...

Since we are talking Schitt here. I am thinking about buying the Loki mini plus. MY purpose is to soften, recess, and in essence, give my sound a little more meat around it class D bones. Can an EQ do those things?

quincy noted above that it produces hum in his set up is that a common problem of the Loki?  That would be a deal breaker as I want it to be low-key.  Thanks

I ordered the Freya+ and Loki late 2020. Took a while, covid, etc., understand. Responsive customer service,  answered numerous questions, VERY satisfied with both. Will likely get amp and dac in the future from them.

@ericsh Modi 3+, SYS, Aegir and Vidar. The Sys works well. The Modi 3+ is neutral, but I no better than my cheap DAC from 2004. The Aegir and Vidar have massive quality control issues. The Zen is a huge improvement over the Aegir. The Vidar is mid-fi (at best) and I greatly question its power rating. It's THD is ridiculous above 85db.

Overall, I'm just not impressed. Schiit would be a great product for Circuit City and Schiit in my opinion it is the most over-hyped audio brand available right now.