New Schiit Audio Equalizer –*Loki (Mini)

[Puma Cat]

Originally Posted by trponhunter

I could not possibly imagine that in a high resolution system that it could be transparent. I have not found any $15,000 analog pre amps that are truly transparent

Well, I don't know how you would listen to a system that did not have a preamp or preamp circuit to know that putting it in vs taking it out would result in a reduction of transparency, because if you didn't have a preamp functionality, you wouldn't be able to hear anything.

Regardless of how "truly transparent" is being defined (or measured for that matter), The Delicious One tone control that I have (and JDandy also has) is completely transparent when bypassed in my system and it's a high-resolution system. That is, I cannot hear a difference when it is in the system but bypassed compared to when it is not in the system. If I were to hazard a guess, Dan would agree with the experience with his Delicious One.

Anyhoo, Schiit's view is that they think this product will provide value for some number of customers; if you don't agree, they don't have a problem with that.

[Puma Cat]

Originally Posted by trponhunter

Not a general fan of analog eq's or electronic crossovers- more cables,more contacts, more connectors, and additional analog circuitry to pass the signal through. Every one of these things lowers your resolution.If you feel eq is needed, investigate what is available digitally (personally the best digital eq's I find to be truly transparent and the best thing you can do to improve most systems).

Well, I guess if one takes that view, then the only implementation that would meet this standard is a "straight wire with gain", but 1) that's not achievable in any real-world sense 2) doesn't provide much in the way of functionality and 3) isn't particularly practical.

At a price point of only $149, Schiit feels that this product is affordable enough for customers to find out if it works for them and provides a value proposition. If it doesn't, they have 15 days to return the product.

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by Puma Cat

If you've read the comments by Jason Stoddard about digital domain EQ's; he would agree with you.

I have not but over the 25 years of being involved with audio I’ve come to that conclusion for myself FWIW. That of course is IMHO and as always YMMV.

[Puma Cat]

Originally Posted by PHC1

I have not but over the 25 years of being involved with audio I’ve come to that conclusion for myself FWIW. That of course is IMHO and as always YMMV.

"But, of course" - said with my best possible French accent.

[trponhunter]

First of all, I am not trying to knock the Schiit product - I have not heard it, but am making general assumptions (which can always be dangerous!). It certainly seems to be a good looking, well built product for very little money.

For those interested in doing so, a preamplifier happens to be the easiest component in the chain to evaluate in terms of transparency. You can perform a proper bypass test to see it's influences when inserted into the signal path. The best component to use to do this would be an analog reel to reel, which many have variable analog outputs. You can run the analog outputs directly to the power amplifier and use the analog volume control in the recorder, and then using identical cables, add the preamp in between the recorder and amplifier– Make sure the volume level is matched identical to what it was when the recorder was going directly to the amplifier. At this point you can hear how much the preamplifier affects the sound. Any change in sound is bad–as the addition of more cables, connecters and analog circuitry effectively cannot make things better (unless the reel to reel was un capable of driving the amplifier directly - which is rare), but can only decrease resolution. A Preamplifier that changes the sound the least is the best in this test. Even if you feel the sound of the addition of the pre amp is sweeter, more euphonic, etc - it is a change from the original and as such is an added artifact - this is not the job of truly transparent audio product. In the above mentioned criteria, even very expensive preamplifiers will alter the sound - again, the best pre amp in such a test would be the one that changes the sound the least. In such a comparison, it is amazing how much better the direct connection from the tape machine to the amplifier usually is.

Of course there is a different school of thought as well - those that want their pre amp to have a certain "sound" - in this case, it is entirely your judgement. Even if you happen to love the sound of a certain pre amp if it does poorly in the bypass test, it is not true transparent, but rather just posses certain colorations that you may enjoy - and ultimately, if that's what you want, that's ok too. Enjoying the system and believing it is truly neutral and transparent sometimes are two different things.

Their is different kind of bypass test you can perform with a digital signal as well, and analog pre amps in general don't fair very well in that comparison either - in my opinion.

[imprezap2]

Also not a fan of tone controls, played many times with the tone control on my Accuphase E-600, but even with the tone controls on zero, but signal going through the tone control there is a subtle but noticeable loss in transparency, less musical.

In my experience you can do a lot with speaker placement.

But I do understand, if you have many recordings that already not sound great, a tone control can make it listenable.

At this price point, it is not a large gamble