I love Schiit's schiit! I have a Freya+ PreAmp and a Loki Max Equalizer powering my McIntosh MC152 Solid State Power Amp. I took my Freya+ apart and removed the capacitors and resistors in the tube stage circuit and replaced them with $800 worth of audiophile components. I am running NOS tubes and I even put some cool vents on the top left side of the chassis to ventilate this relatively hot device…..I am really thrilled with the sound quality of these components and thanks to the internet I had fun supercharging mine! 😀
Thanks for bringing up XLR Vs RCA. Balanced can sound better in terms of clarity but, depending on the source and input circuitry can loose some 'body'. I have compared both outputs from my Ares 2 over 2 years using multiple different cables. I have made three different balanced input modules for my preamp. The first two sounded all round worse than unbalanced. The last one cost €60 in parts and did the trick. Keep in mind balanced circuitry has over twice the components so it can have more of an effect on the sound. At the end of the day, never mind the technology or other people's opinions, trust your ears. P.S. I used to watch Steve for the gear, now I come for the album tips! What great taste in music
One cool feature that people sometimes forget, is that the Kara and Freya line will convert single ended to balanced, and vice versa. So it's somewhat of a connection wizard for your system as well :)
You know converted signal forms are always a compromise and 64V high voltage rails that reportedly echo the “golden age of solid-state”, don't. But it's nice some buyers appreciate these efforts. (The Scratch and Rumble filter of old, the Turnover button for tone controls.)
Good review, Steve! Haven't seen much about the Kara yet so this is nice to hear. Thinking I'm locking into a Kara with an Aegir driving Zu Audio DW6. Should be a good system!
Wow, Steve. I always liked you but now---Mike Bloomfield---my guitar hero! I never heard you mention him before. I have everything he ever recorded. In fact, I bought new copies of the Butterfield albums because my originals are well worn. Very cool to hear you recommend him.
Great video Steve! Thank you for reviewing such a highly anticipated product! Thanks also for including the brief shout-out for the Elac Reference Uni-Fi DBR62's. I'm a big fan of those speakers (having them, as well as the original UB5's), and it was nice to see them in your test rig.
I'm giving a brief shout-out, you know, for old low power Radio Shack, the STA-47 from 1976 because this fall it is 47 years young. Although it best uses the Optimus-1B (a ferrous motor take on the AlNiCo Optimus-1) it used the MC-500 in its basic match. Back then record players had small speakers like the MC-500 but they were special, probably engineered by Teledyne, CTS of Kentucky. Only 11 watts per channel, but the STA-47 and MC-500 will satisfy a load of vinyl record playing buyers and come low priced today.
Thanks for the review. This is the first review I found on you tube about Kara! .... Could you please share, How much you advise to look for Kara $699 in comparing with Saga+ $399 purely as preamp, headphone part separated..... if we exclude balanced options (as advised RCA is also fine with better connectivity and sources) also considering Saga+ gives the tube option as well and all passive + active portions.... Can Kara definitely make us fell Overwhelmed in comparison or Saga+ is good enough? Please advise.
Nice review, Steve! Re: balanced - I’ve heard that if you have a long cable run balanced is the way to go (reduced noise). I’m a single-ended guy, with short cables from my source to my integrated. Thanks for the shoutout to Michael Bloomfield - he had slipped under my radar.
Hey Steve, love your stuff! Allow me to mention, like so much of music, having admiring a specific guitarist is subjective. So allow me to mention, one reason "Clapton is God" graffiti was prevalent throughout London in the late 60's is because Eric played with great passion, at least until the Derek and the Dominoes album where Duane Allman pushed Eric to be his best. Don't get me wrong, Michael Bloomfield was an outstanding guitarist, and like you said Steve, the tuning and tone of hist guitar is second to none. It comes down to the goose bumps, doesn't it? The best thing about Eric Clapton, Michael Bloomfield, Jimi Hendrix, Carlos Santana, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Duane Allman, et al is we get to listen to all of them. Awesome sauce!
Great review. Thanks for comparison against Pass Lab as a headphone amp. It makes sense since Pass Lab is headphone first with added preamp but Kara is a preamp first with headphone. How did Kara perform against Pass Lab as a preamp?
The 64V high voltage rails would help if using Zu speakers because the impedance is 12 ohms and accordingly with High Z headphones but try to appreciate what Steve actually offers in the video package. It's a very carefully managed script.
Word salad again? You never fail to confuse: How does the rail voltage have an relationship to a preamp's ability to drive speakers?? That's the power amplifier's job😂 Maybe you should manage your script more carefully ?
Schiit is always coming out with new stuff. Super cool. Steve, is there any particular piece of gear you'd like to see Schiit try their hand at? I'd love to see them try to make a tube phono stage.
One of our early homes ... August heat-wave, I leaned back as I could reach the window unit over and behind my head as I reclined ... I reached it to bump up the A/C a notch or so ... boom! As soon as I did, it took out a 60a main fuse! Still had the other leg so we still had some power. Its midnight or so, I drove to a local Meijer superstore and bought four fuses. Fun times ... Too bad youth is wasted on the young.
My old eyes prefer equipment with sliver faces and dark text. The black background is just too difficult to read in reduced lighting. Also, it seems that the black background equipment uses more often than not use grey text which makes reading even more difficult.
On ballanced vs single ended, it's not going to really affect the signal as such, it more affects the noise on the signal. A balnced cable will have significantly lower noise than single ended. As far as anything else, neglibible performance increase if any. On good quality cables, the signal is the signal, regardless of the connection type. Noise is a different thing, but very few would really hear a difference other than placebo effect. That said, I don't judge anyone on what they feel is better for them. It's their system, they can set it up how they feel happiest.
I got a Kara last month, the week it was released. It replaced ... no preamp. I had been using my AD/DA as a preamp with a digital volume control, my phono preamp going through the AD/DA at 24/192. I now have the option of staying all-analog for LP playback. I have not had the mute problem you described, but I haven't rotated the volume control very fast. Two things I wanted to mention. The active settings (1:1 or 4x high gain) allow the conversion of balanced or single-ended inputs to balanced and/or single-ended outputs. I have the balanced out going to the amp for my main speakers, and the single-ended out going to my SVS subs. That won't work in passive mode. The other thing I noticed is that the stepped volume control reacts differently than I'm used to. I guess it's log, and I'm used to linear with digital volume controls. Or do I have that backwards? Dunno. I can adjust the gain of my phono preamp, my DAC and my amp, and I like to set them so that I can't accidentally turn the volume up where it would cause clipping in the amp or distortion in the speakers. With the Schiit, the first half of the volume pot is useless - almost no sound comes out - while the last 25% is where it ends up most of the time. Because of that, the level control is kind of coarse. One step of the volume control produces too big a change for my taste. With a digital control, when I turn it up .5dB, that's exactly what I get. It's hardly a deal breaker. It's perfectly fine, but not what I'm used to.
Update: I have experienced the "freakout" described by Steve, where the preamp mutes and the lights start flashing. I think it's a static electricity problem, as once it happened when I just touched the volume control.
I’m a headphone junky with multiple dacs and HP amps and let me tell you the biggest change I ever experienced was getting a preamp between the two even though conventional wisdom has been you don’t need them anymore, much less for a HP amp.
Hi Steve. Thanks again for the reviews. I am really interested in your feedback on the emotiva xda 3 vs the schiit Kara as a stand alone preamp. Which you prefer
What I have learned from having multiple electrostatic headphones is that if they have any more detail than your speakers then you need to upgrade your speaker and/or room. There are other good reasons to own headphones but detail is not one of them.
Loved the mention of him, haven't listened to his stuff in many years but glad to see you think highly of him. The first two Butterfield records showcase his amazing playing. If I remember correctly Al Kooper was slated originally to play guitar on the Highway 61 record but Bloomfield showed up at the studio with his guitar wrapped in a pillow case in the middle of snow storm. Upon plugging in and playing for a few minutes Kooper quietly packed up his guitar and moved to organ/keyboards.
@@danm3359 - Wow, thanks for sharing that story! I switched off from Steve a few minutes to pull up M. Bloomfield on Qobuz using good headphones and the music was stunning
Great video and review! I am waiting for silver Kara. You must listen to Al Kooper as well! Bloomfield is awesome and the two do recordings together. Al Kooper has played with many artists and is one of my favorites. Kinda like George Harrison in that most never remember him. Glad you mentioned them both.
Ditto this question? Got to what do you really think, and mostly talked about the glitch? So do we fathom that you mostly ran it with midfi gear, that that’s where you peg it? How does it compare to Saga passive? Did it not entice you to plug into better speakers and sources? What was your transport, the oppo? My oppo isn’t very swift as a transport… Sounds like you had fun and got into the music though..
Interesting to hear about your experience with the protection mode. I have a Freya that does the same thing from time-to-time, and it always happens when turning down the volume. I have been wondering if perhaps something was wrong with my preamp, but from what you describe with the Kara, this sounds like designed-in behavior.
Thank for the review, Steve. Could you also shed some light on how is the new Saga 2 stacked up with Kara? Is it worth upgrading for additional $400 plus dollars?
Hi Steve, I am looking for a preamp that drives my Linn Selekt with Organik DAC (Line Card) and my LP12 to my Geithain active speakers. Can the Shiit manage that or do I need to go some more steps above in the shelf to do not slow down the streamer and the player? Thanks for your thoughts. Cheers Andi
Excellent review ... any thoughts on the headphone amp with lower impedance headphones (say 32 ohm)? I note that Amir at ASR tested Kara recently and got somewhat poorer results in testing and listening with lower impedance headphones. I think the ones you used in your review were 150ohm and higher.
Amir only pays attention to measurements and not how things SOUND. Few here are into his constant criticism, it's kinda like listening to Trump being a victim - in 3,000 lawsuits against him - and complaining all the time but never solving a problem. Real audiophiles discount Amir.
With a new Freya I find annoying audible speaker pops, when switching output between passive, differential buffer, and differential tube, and mute. Steve did you get audible popping on the Kara while switching between passive, gain stages and mute? I'd think that'd be rough with headphones. In my case, no remote use, no mute, just on and off back switch in tube mode only. Schiit says the pops I get are normal for the relay switch.
My diy preamp uses relays to select different features... If done properly there should be no pops. Schiit makes excellent stuff but occasionally allow stupid flaws in their designs.
If you removed the kara and just used the xda as the preamp- would there be any sonic loss? Or is there any benefit having the kara in there? Sonically speaking.
Balanced cables are in general louder, if I'm not mistaken about 6db louder. It's geometry rejects noise , and that could count for more clarity in my perspective. I'm not so sure in circuitr, unless the same principles are used, ->noise rejection. Better quality persee, nope. That is all about quality wire, and quality cable design.
I recently did a lengthy comparison between quite a good SE headphone cable and a low end balanced cable. The source was a Bifrost 2/64 + Jotunheim 2 stack, and the headphone was the Arya v3, and I felt that the good SE cable through the Jot's SE jack sounded noticeably better than the not-so-good balanced cable through the XLR. Better separation, greater detail, wider stage... So, at least in the case of this system, cable quality more than offset balanced vs SE considerations.
Couple of months ago I tried a 900$ Audioquest Yukon XLR to replace à 200$ Cardas SE into my Luxman L590axII and sold it back after a month. Sound was too forward and incisive for my taste... so back with my old Cardas.
Hi Steve, sound signature-wise, if compared with a passive transformer-based preamp of about max 2K price range, is there anything worth mentioning? I.e. like of dynamic, less lively sound, anything like that?
Steve, don't you think there is a bit too much base, too loose? Otherwise it is excelling Freya + in all other aspects. But if you pair it with full range speakers, it becomes a bit too much
I’m with you when it comes to comparisons with the pass labs. From the other hand I can’t get my head around why the Pass Labs’ measurements look like a broken device when compared to the Schiit preamp.
Thank you for watching, the sink that Nelson Pass, he designs for sound not measurements. For those who prioritize measurements there's other choices. Each to their own.
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac I prefer the sound of the pass as well. I am just trying to understand how the pass sound translates to measurements so I can always look for these.
I don't want any tubes in my hifi system, but I want tube like three dimensional sound stage but with the solidified low end of purpose wound output transformers.
I'd really like to see an External Effects or RecOut/MonitorIn loop and a simple Mute button instead of the mute function being tied to the headphone jack. Other than that this is on my short list.
@SteveGuttenbergAudiophilliac You say theres little point to balanced operation? Isnt the point that it can drive long cables to the power amp? Also one could use long cables from a balanced source with much less signal degradation? Using s balanced preamp in unbalanced mode only, makes HALF of all the extra components redundant, no?😮 Lastly: With such an accurate volume management relay system, WHY CANT SCH**T OFFER A "BALANCE" CONTROL????! (I feel a balance control would help those of us with asymmetrical room layouts;-) Always appreciate your enthusiasm 🎵🎶😊👍🎶🎵
I recently replaced the Freya S with the Kara and have to say it's a step up. If I had to put it into a percentage I would say somewhere between 25 to 35 percent better. More dynamic, more low level bass and better staging. My only criticism has to do with the volume control which can be a bit fickle at times when using the remote.
. That thing looks like one heck of a sleeper. Ssshhh.......... tell no one, lol. It needs a "Main-in" input to accept the "Pre-out" output. I can't tell if it would work because the Sony has only "Adapter" labeled ins/outs. I can't figure out what the heck those are. Sonic improvement? It'll probably be a little quieter. Somewhat clearer and the Schiit volume control is definitely the Shit. Acid Jazz, Funk & Brass 🔈🔉🔊
Just wondering. On the picture, the volume control seems to me to be a Alps Blue Velvet, not an attenuator. I own a couple of these… Are you certain about what you mentioned? Thoroughly enjoyed the presentation.
Schitt has prime time at Steve’s. Thank you for Mike Bloomfiled - it sounds natural compare to the others. I always appreciate musical guide from Steve.
Personally, I'm interested in ballanced preamps as a substitute for in-home wireless streaming. They can allow you to run longer cables between devices without worrying for sound degradation. I'd love to hear reviews about other products such as the Kara.
What Steve didn't say about the RCA cables is their dynamic range being of the olden days ... vinyl record and reel to reel tape sort. It's why Steve prefers them over Balanced that are for modern high dynamic range sources. (Younger listeners).
@@TheIoMeroMero idk, I ended up with Freya+ and NOS tubes from the early 50s. I don't regret it at all. I'd still be very curious of this comparison, though.
They're still rolling with a scratchy volume control? I've seen on forums at a decent amount of people are skipping this series be all because of that. Including me. That would drive me nuts. It did my friend Eric and he returned one.
Why use a preamp if you don't need the switching functions? As for instance me who has all my inputs to my Node streamer, and of course a volume control.
I have a node 2i and although generally it's a great all in one streamer. Dac and preamp ...truth is the pre circuit, headphone amp and dac are just ok!
@@humanitech DAC's are a separate issue. Again, why use a preamp in an analog signal path if you do not need the input switching functions? The answer has to be to alter the sound, as a philosophical issue, who cares to justify it? For a Node or a $10K DAC?
@@rapier5 ??? I thought I mentioned I have a node which isn't sonically that great as a preamp or a headphone amp...but it is a good streamer. ... so a better preamp does improve things but then the dac is exposed as being the weak point....but for a budget bit of kit it's great for most!
@@rapier5 I have the node2i and adding a preamp really helped the dynamics specially at low level listening. Node uses digital volume control which reduces dynamics ! Very noticeable at first try !
I stopped buying their Schiit when they gave me grief over charging Maryland sales tax on shipping. When I had the same thing happen with ifi, they credited my account immediately. It took weeks to get Schiit to admit that they messed up. There's even a website with the rules for individual states and their taxing policies. One would think this would be a no brainer.
Just think of Balanced cables as the better quality cable. Most reliable, also like insurance that you aren't going to get any interference. Especially if using Mogami (or Canare, Belden..) Star Quad cable. Set and forget
. Kara outputs into a HT bypass. (Edit add) Line level sources plug into the HT bypass to be amplified. It's a direct input access point to the power amplifier inside the integrated amplifier. Some fool relabeled what has always been a self-explanatory "Main-In" connection. Acid Jazz, Funk & Brass 🔈🔉🔊
![ทุกครั้งที่หลับตา (Lucid Dream) - AYLA's [ Official MV ]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/4i1OBAQyv58/mqdefault.jpg)
I love Schiit's schiit! I have a Freya+ PreAmp and a Loki Max Equalizer powering my McIntosh MC152 Solid State Power Amp.
I took my Freya+ apart and removed the capacitors and resistors in the tube stage circuit and replaced them with $800 worth of audiophile components. I am running NOS tubes and I even put some cool vents on the top left side of the chassis to ventilate this relatively hot device…..I am really thrilled with the sound quality of these components and thanks to the internet I had fun supercharging mine! 😀
Do you have a link on how to supercharge the Freya+ ?
I tried to post you info…but it does not show up? 🤷🏻♂️ any ideas? 😀
Wow, your modded Freya has to sound amazing.
@@ChicagoRob2BIG soundstage! More detail. It looks waaaaay cool with the vents on top, too!😊
Thanks for bringing up XLR Vs RCA. Balanced can sound better in terms of clarity but, depending on the source and input circuitry can loose some 'body'. I have compared both outputs from my Ares 2 over 2 years using multiple different cables. I have made three different balanced input modules for my preamp. The first two sounded all round worse than unbalanced. The last one cost €60 in parts and did the trick. Keep in mind balanced circuitry has over twice the components so it can have more of an effect on the sound. At the end of the day, never mind the technology or other people's opinions, trust your ears.
P.S. I used to watch Steve for the gear, now I come for the album tips! What great taste in music
Hi Peter. I am looking also for a balanced preamp for my Ares. Can you tell me what preamp have you ended up building?
One cool feature that people sometimes forget, is that the Kara and Freya line will convert single ended to balanced, and vice versa. So it's somewhat of a connection wizard for your system as well :)
You know converted signal forms are always a compromise and 64V high voltage rails that reportedly echo the “golden age of solid-state”, don't. But it's nice some buyers appreciate these efforts. (The Scratch and Rumble filter of old, the Turnover button for tone controls.)
Don't forget to convert you have to use the 1X gain - naturally no conversion in passive.
Steve you're the most enjoyable hifi guy on TH-cam. Thanks!
Wow, thanks!
I LOVE the dynamic range of things you talk about on your show, I always learn so much. Don’t ever stop. ❤
Love your track recommendations and your enthusiasm, Steve! You're the man!
That Electric Flag song that starts off with a Lyndon Johnson speech overdub is hilarious and a favorite.
Just listened to Jazz Party on my Grados...Wow! Thanks for the recommendation and all the others in the past!
Good review, Steve! Haven't seen much about the Kara yet so this is nice to hear. Thinking I'm locking into a Kara with an Aegir driving Zu Audio DW6. Should be a good system!
Man, the Aegir is my end-game amplifier. You are in for a treat.
@@ChicagoRob2 That's great feedback! Thanks
Steve thank you thank you for what you bring to your fans .
Wow, Steve. I always liked you but now---Mike Bloomfield---my guitar hero! I never heard you mention him before. I have everything he ever recorded. In fact, I bought new copies of the Butterfield albums because my originals are well worn. Very cool to hear you recommend him.
Great video Steve! Thank you for reviewing such a highly anticipated product! Thanks also for including the brief shout-out for the Elac Reference Uni-Fi DBR62's. I'm a big fan of those speakers (having them, as well as the original UB5's), and it was nice to see them in your test rig.
I'm giving a brief shout-out, you know, for old low power Radio Shack, the STA-47 from 1976 because this fall it is 47 years young. Although it best uses the Optimus-1B (a ferrous motor take on the AlNiCo Optimus-1) it used the MC-500 in its basic match. Back then record players had small speakers like the MC-500 but they were special, probably engineered by Teledyne, CTS of Kentucky. Only 11 watts per channel, but the STA-47 and MC-500 will satisfy a load of vinyl record playing buyers and come low priced today.
I love this review and it is honest. This is a guy you can trust.
In the Deep South during this recent Heat Wave it’s the absence of the AC hum you have to worry about 😮🤔😉
😂
For sure (from Charleston).
I had to move my Schiit to high ground during the tsunami and flooding in San Francisco last month.
Steve. Nice review but curious how the Kara sounds versus the original Freya S and the Freya Plus as I own both. Thanks
Thanks for the review. This is the first review I found on you tube about Kara! .... Could you please share, How much you advise to look for Kara $699 in comparing with Saga+ $399 purely as preamp, headphone part separated..... if we exclude balanced options (as advised RCA is also fine with better connectivity and sources) also considering Saga+ gives the tube option as well and all passive + active portions.... Can Kara definitely make us fell Overwhelmed in comparison or Saga+ is good enough? Please advise.
Nice review, Steve! Re: balanced - I’ve heard that if you have a long cable run balanced is the way to go (reduced noise). I’m a single-ended guy, with short cables from my source to my integrated. Thanks for the shoutout to Michael Bloomfield - he had slipped under my radar.
Hey Steve, love your stuff! Allow me to mention, like so much of music, having admiring a specific guitarist is subjective. So allow me to mention, one reason "Clapton is God" graffiti was prevalent throughout London in the late 60's is because Eric played with great passion, at least until the Derek and the Dominoes album where Duane Allman pushed Eric to be his best. Don't get me wrong, Michael Bloomfield was an outstanding guitarist, and like you said Steve, the tuning and tone of hist guitar is second to none. It comes down to the goose bumps, doesn't it? The best thing about Eric Clapton, Michael Bloomfield, Jimi Hendrix, Carlos Santana, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Duane Allman, et al is we get to listen to all of them. Awesome sauce!
Great review. Thanks for comparison against Pass Lab as a headphone amp. It makes sense since Pass Lab is headphone first with added preamp but Kara is a preamp first with headphone. How did Kara perform against Pass Lab as a preamp?
The 64V high voltage rails would help if using Zu speakers because the impedance is 12 ohms and accordingly with High Z headphones but try to appreciate what Steve actually offers in the video package. It's a very carefully managed script.
Word salad again?
You never fail to confuse:
How does the rail voltage have an relationship to a preamp's ability to drive speakers??
That's the power amplifier's job😂
Maybe you should manage your script more carefully ?
Schiit is always coming out with new stuff. Super cool. Steve, is there any particular piece of gear you'd like to see Schiit try their hand at? I'd love to see them try to make a tube phono stage.
I really want them to turbo charge the Ragnarok myself. Also combining a DAC, Bifrost and Yggdrasil level, and the Urd into one unit would be killer.
@@jackstraw1756 the Ragnarok needs an update for sure
Integrated amp
Do prefer the Freya + or the Kara?
One of our early homes ... August heat-wave, I leaned back as I could reach the window unit over and behind my head as I reclined ...
I reached it to bump up the A/C a notch or so ... boom! As soon as I did, it took out a 60a main fuse!
Still had the other leg so we still had some power.
Its midnight or so, I drove to a local Meijer superstore and bought four fuses.
Fun times ...
Too bad youth is wasted on the young.
My old eyes prefer equipment with sliver faces and dark text. The black background is just too difficult to read in reduced lighting. Also, it seems that the black background equipment uses more often than not use grey text which makes reading even more difficult.
whoa... hadn't heard Michael Bloomfield until your review and... wow... thanks for the recommendation
Two thumbs up for Duke Ellington's Jazz Party.
How does this compare to the Freys+
On ballanced vs single ended, it's not going to really affect the signal as such, it more affects the noise on the signal. A balnced cable will have significantly lower noise than single ended. As far as anything else, neglibible performance increase if any. On good quality cables, the signal is the signal, regardless of the connection type. Noise is a different thing, but very few would really hear a difference other than placebo effect. That said, I don't judge anyone on what they feel is better for them. It's their system, they can set it up how they feel happiest.
Thanks for another great video. Your channel is the only one I have the notification bell turned on. 💯
Nice, thanks Andy
I got a Kara last month, the week it was released. It replaced ... no preamp. I had been using my AD/DA as a preamp with a digital volume control, my phono preamp going through the AD/DA at 24/192. I now have the option of staying all-analog for LP playback. I have not had the mute problem you described, but I haven't rotated the volume control very fast. Two things I wanted to mention. The active settings (1:1 or 4x high gain) allow the conversion of balanced or single-ended inputs to balanced and/or single-ended outputs. I have the balanced out going to the amp for my main speakers, and the single-ended out going to my SVS subs. That won't work in passive mode.
The other thing I noticed is that the stepped volume control reacts differently than I'm used to. I guess it's log, and I'm used to linear with digital volume controls. Or do I have that backwards? Dunno. I can adjust the gain of my phono preamp, my DAC and my amp, and I like to set them so that I can't accidentally turn the volume up where it would cause clipping in the amp or distortion in the speakers. With the Schiit, the first half of the volume pot is useless - almost no sound comes out - while the last 25% is where it ends up most of the time. Because of that, the level control is kind of coarse. One step of the volume control produces too big a change for my taste. With a digital control, when I turn it up .5dB, that's exactly what I get. It's hardly a deal breaker. It's perfectly fine, but not what I'm used to.
Update: I have experienced the "freakout" described by Steve, where the preamp mutes and the lights start flashing. I think it's a static electricity problem, as once it happened when I just touched the volume control.
I’m a headphone junky with multiple dacs and HP amps and let me tell you the biggest change I ever experienced was getting a preamp between the two even though conventional wisdom has been you don’t need them anymore, much less for a HP amp.
Hi Steve. Thanks again for the reviews. I am really interested in your feedback on the emotiva xda 3 vs the schiit Kara as a stand alone preamp. Which you prefer
What I have learned from having multiple electrostatic headphones is that if they have any more detail than your speakers then you need to upgrade your speaker and/or room. There are other good reasons to own headphones but detail is not one of them.
Michael Bloomfield👍👍 Thanks for pointing him out on that box set!
Loved the mention of him, haven't listened to his stuff in many years but glad to see you think highly of him. The first two Butterfield records showcase his amazing playing. If I remember correctly Al Kooper was slated originally to play guitar on the Highway 61 record but Bloomfield showed up at the studio with his guitar wrapped in a pillow case in the middle of snow storm. Upon plugging in and playing for a few minutes Kooper quietly packed up his guitar and moved to organ/keyboards.
@@danm3359 - Wow, thanks for sharing that story! I switched off from Steve a few minutes to pull up M. Bloomfield on Qobuz using good headphones and the music was stunning
Great video and review! I am waiting for silver Kara. You must listen to Al Kooper as well! Bloomfield is awesome and the two do recordings together. Al Kooper has played with many artists and is one of my favorites. Kinda like George Harrison in that most never remember him. Glad you mentioned them both.
But Steve, how does it sound? What kind of system would benefit from the Kara's sonic signature?
Ditto this question?
Got to what do you really think, and mostly talked about the glitch?
So do we fathom that you mostly ran it with midfi gear, that that’s where you peg it?
How does it compare to Saga passive?
Did it not entice you to plug into better speakers and sources?
What was your transport, the oppo?
My oppo isn’t very swift as a transport…
Sounds like you had fun and got into the music though..
HATTOR AUDIO has very good passive pre amps
Interesting to hear about your experience with the protection mode. I have a Freya that does the same thing from time-to-time, and it always happens when turning down the volume. I have been wondering if perhaps something was wrong with my preamp, but from what you describe with the Kara, this sounds like designed-in behavior.
Ye it's not a flaw, it's a feature :]
I have had my Freya+ for three years and that has never happened to me, perhaps I lower the volume quickly but not abruptly.
Have you tried a Luminous Audio Axiom II passive preamp? It is really good with the First Watt J2
Thank for the review, Steve. Could you also shed some light on how is the new Saga 2 stacked up with Kara? Is it worth upgrading for additional $400 plus dollars?
Hi Steve, I am looking for a preamp that drives my Linn Selekt with Organik DAC (Line Card) and my LP12 to my Geithain active speakers. Can the Shiit manage that or do I need to go some more steps above in the shelf to do not slow down the streamer and the player? Thanks for your thoughts. Cheers Andi
I wish Schiit would make a simple modi sized FM tuner module.
Excellent review ... any thoughts on the headphone amp with lower impedance headphones (say 32 ohm)? I note that Amir at ASR tested Kara recently and got somewhat poorer results in testing and listening with lower impedance headphones. I think the ones you used in your review were 150ohm and higher.
Amir only pays attention to measurements and not how things SOUND. Few here are into his constant criticism, it's kinda like listening to Trump being a victim - in 3,000 lawsuits against him - and complaining all the time but never solving a problem. Real audiophiles discount Amir.
With a new Freya I find annoying audible speaker pops, when switching output between passive, differential buffer, and differential tube, and mute. Steve did you get audible popping on the Kara while switching between passive, gain stages and mute? I'd think that'd be rough with headphones. In my case, no remote use, no mute, just on and off back switch in tube mode only. Schiit says the pops I get are normal for the relay switch.
My diy preamp uses relays to select different features... If done properly there should be no pops. Schiit makes excellent stuff but occasionally allow stupid flaws in their designs.
Love the fact that the Kara is black. Maybe I' ll try it.
Great shirt.
If you removed the kara and just used the xda as the preamp- would there be any sonic loss? Or is there any benefit having the kara in there? Sonically speaking.
Power switch needs to be on the front, or at least be able to power on preamp with remote.
Thanks Steve
Balanced cables are in general louder, if I'm not mistaken about 6db louder. It's geometry rejects noise , and that could count for more clarity in my perspective. I'm not so sure in circuitr, unless the same principles are used, ->noise rejection.
Better quality persee, nope. That is all about quality wire, and quality cable design.
Gettin’ a little thin up top, so I’ll be using the Rogaine setting.
Ah man that's what I've been doing wrong! I had the Rogaine on low and the bottom end on fat.
I recently did a lengthy comparison between quite a good SE headphone cable and a low end balanced cable. The source was a Bifrost 2/64 + Jotunheim 2 stack, and the headphone was the Arya v3, and I felt that the good SE cable through the Jot's SE jack sounded noticeably better than the not-so-good balanced cable through the XLR. Better separation, greater detail, wider stage... So, at least in the case of this system, cable quality more than offset balanced vs SE considerations.
Couple of months ago I tried a 900$ Audioquest Yukon XLR to replace à 200$ Cardas SE into my Luxman L590axII and sold it back after a month. Sound was too forward and incisive for my taste... so back with my old Cardas.
Thank you for recognizing Michael Bloomfield.
Hi Steve, sound signature-wise, if compared with a passive transformer-based preamp of about max 2K price range, is there anything worth mentioning? I.e. like of dynamic, less lively sound, anything like that?
Tekton DI speakers with Ribbon Tweeters! Very interesting. Also a set of drums in the room. Sound familiar Steve?
Ha ha Billy
I always like your chanel, Steve. Does it run hot like Freya+? Is this class A or class AB preamp?
Steve, don't you think there is a bit too much base, too loose? Otherwise it is excelling Freya + in all other aspects. But if you pair it with full range speakers, it becomes a bit too much
I’m with you when it comes to comparisons with the pass labs. From the other hand I can’t get my head around why the Pass Labs’ measurements look like a broken device when compared to the Schiit preamp.
Thank you for watching, the sink that Nelson Pass, he designs for sound not measurements. For those who prioritize measurements there's other choices. Each to their own.
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac I prefer the sound of the pass as well. I am just trying to understand how the pass sound translates to measurements so I can always look for these.
I don't want any tubes in my hifi system, but I want tube like three dimensional sound stage but with the solidified low end of purpose wound output transformers.
Hello Steve, Are you going to make it to the Capital Audio fest this year?
I'd really like to see an External Effects or RecOut/MonitorIn loop and a simple Mute button instead of the mute function being tied to the headphone jack. Other than that this is on my short list.
I still have to giggle when i see the caption "knob feel'. I know i am immature, but i like that.
I have a geshelli j2 with 2590s going into a kara into a topping a70 for headphones its awesome
Sir.. suggest preamplifier with separate sub out except parasound.. already using.. thanks
@SteveGuttenbergAudiophilliac
You say theres little point to balanced operation?
Isnt the point that it can drive long cables to the power amp?
Also one could use long cables from a balanced source with much less signal degradation?
Using s balanced preamp in unbalanced mode only, makes HALF of all the extra components redundant, no?😮
Lastly: With such an accurate volume management relay system, WHY CANT SCH**T OFFER A "BALANCE" CONTROL????!
(I feel a balance control would help those of us with asymmetrical room layouts;-)
Always appreciate your enthusiasm
🎵🎶😊👍🎶🎵
I wonder how different the Kara is from Jotunheim 2? Both are balanced. I use Jot 2 both as a preamp and a headphone amp with LCD2 classic
I very happy with my Schiit Freya S. It sounds good from your review but I think I’ll stay where I am. Mine is also with a Vidar II and tekton lores.
That sounds like a beautifully balanced system. Enjoy
I recently replaced the Freya S with the Kara and have to say it's a step up. If I had to put it into a percentage I would say somewhere between 25 to 35 percent better. More dynamic, more low level bass and better staging. My only criticism has to do with the volume control which can be a bit fickle at times when using the remote.
@@myaudioquest I was considering the Freya s but now am thinking Kara. What amp are you using?
@@theedgeofbreakup5192 I am using Rotel RB-1552 mk2 amplifier.
@@myaudioquest
Thank you, this is helpful.
Was wondering how it might compare to an og Saga passive?
I was just wondering if how or can Kara improved an intergraded like a Sony amp 444esx? Thank you for sharing. Great video!
. That thing looks like one heck of a sleeper. Ssshhh.......... tell no one, lol.
It needs a "Main-in" input to accept the "Pre-out" output. I can't tell if it would work because the Sony has only "Adapter" labeled ins/outs. I can't figure out what the heck those are.
Sonic improvement? It'll probably be a little quieter. Somewhat clearer and the Schiit volume control is definitely the Shit.
Acid Jazz, Funk & Brass 🔈🔉🔊
Just wondering. On the picture, the volume control seems to me to be a Alps Blue Velvet, not an attenuator. I own a couple of these… Are you certain about what you mentioned? Thoroughly enjoyed the presentation.
You can see the inside on Schiit’s website.
those elacs look nice!
The Electric Flag brought back memories..
Can’t beat a good Schiit 🤣👍
Schitt has prime time at Steve’s. Thank you for Mike Bloomfiled - it sounds natural compare to the others. I always appreciate musical guide from Steve.
Nice to hear from you!
Personally, I'm interested in ballanced preamps as a substitute for in-home wireless streaming. They can allow you to run longer cables between devices without worrying for sound degradation. I'd love to hear reviews about other products such as the Kara.
What Steve didn't say about the RCA cables is their dynamic range being of the olden days ... vinyl record and reel to reel tape sort. It's why Steve prefers them over Balanced that are for modern high dynamic range sources. (Younger listeners).
If it locks up in protection mode I believe owner's manual says to slowly pour a cup of cold water into ventilation grill.
😂😂😂😂😂 just don’t let the smoke out
You’re giving people dangerous advice that they just might follow. We all know that you’re supposed to use warm water 😉
@@MrBonger88 😂😂😂😂😂 and shouldn’t that be warm distilled water?
@@Aswaguespack you’re right. It’s been so long since I had to pour water over my equipment that I totally forgot
@@MrBonger88 sometimes it is easy to forget the tiny details
How would it compare to the Freya plus with LISST tubes?
Yeah, I was wondering the same thing. Do you know something about it?
@@TheIoMeroMero idk, I ended up with Freya+ and NOS tubes from the early 50s. I don't regret it at all. I'd still be very curious of this comparison, though.
@@AeroSS87 Yeah, I know. Not a lot of comparisons out there. Thanks!
Having issues with Schiit warranty repair....ensure you investigate AI and service concerns
WBCables are wonderful for the money.
Love my Schiit!
Mike Bloomfield! His tone reminds me of Roy Buchanan the greatest guitarist that never lived …
Cool math shirt.
"The feel of his sound..."
They're still rolling with a scratchy volume control? I've seen on forums at a decent amount of people are skipping this series be all because of that. Including me. That would drive me nuts. It did my friend Eric and he returned one.
Herb knows power!
Agree with your pick as best guitarist. But I gotta say, Garcia played the sweetest, dreamiest guitar sounds ever.
The Pizza Tapes still give me goosebumps.
If non audiophiles hear us talking about knob feel out of context they probably think we’re weird.
What do you mean probably 😊
We're weird, they're weird too. So called "Normal" people are the weirdest.
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac 😂😂😂
I wish you guys would heal yourself rambling😊
have the debut reference ....so i want the unifi reference
Schiit know their Schiit!😂
Why use a preamp if you don't need the switching functions? As for instance me who has all my inputs to my Node streamer, and of course a volume control.
I have a node 2i and although generally it's a great all in one streamer. Dac and preamp ...truth is the pre circuit, headphone amp and dac are just ok!
@@humanitech DAC's are a separate issue. Again, why use a preamp in an analog signal path if you do not need the input switching functions? The answer has to be to alter the sound, as a philosophical issue, who cares to justify it? For a Node or a $10K DAC?
@@rapier5 ??? I thought I mentioned I have a node which isn't sonically that great as a preamp or a headphone amp...but it is a good streamer. ... so a better preamp does improve things but then the dac is exposed as being the weak point....but for a budget bit of kit it's great for most!
@@rapier5 I have the node2i and adding a preamp really helped the dynamics specially at low level listening. Node uses digital volume control which reduces dynamics ! Very noticeable at first try !
Schiit are doing some good shit!😃
No,they are making insanely overprized shit!
Why do you not review rega amplifier or any other British stuff
I reviewed rega io amp and their small speakers
For us, old farts, but exact same price the Kara sells for the same as the Audio Research SP-3 LOL
I have the West Side story album.
thankyou Mr. Guttenberg
I stopped buying their Schiit when they gave me grief over charging Maryland sales tax on shipping. When I had the same thing happen with ifi, they credited my account immediately. It took weeks to get Schiit to admit that they messed up. There's even a website with the rules for individual states and their taxing policies. One would think this would be a no brainer.
I'm a balanced kind of guy
will check
k out bloomfield
Just think of Balanced cables as the better quality cable. Most reliable, also like insurance that you aren't going to get any interference. Especially if using Mogami (or Canare, Belden..) Star Quad cable. Set and forget
How come there’s not a lot of talk about this preamp?
Is not that great?
Any ht bypass?
. Kara outputs into a HT bypass. (Edit add) Line level sources plug into the HT bypass to be amplified. It's a direct input access point to the power amplifier inside the integrated amplifier.
Some fool relabeled what has always been a self-explanatory "Main-In" connection.
Acid Jazz, Funk & Brass 🔈🔉🔊
@@TriAmpHiFi
What?
Balanced is definitely better at driving an amplifier tho.
Only if that power amp is designed to receive that higher voltage "tho".