Using their “Nexus” differential gain stage, Ragnarok 2 can drive both speakers (60w @ 8Ω, 100w @ 4Ω) and headphones (upto 24w into 32Ω … enough power for even the most demanding planar cans), and has three selectable levels of gain. This gain stage allows direct operation in both balanced and single-ended operation within the stage (including conversion between them), and doesn’t require discrete conversion outside the gain stage itself.
The modular nature of the unit means that in addition to it’s standard 2x balanced (XLR) and 1x single-ended (RCA) inputs, its two internal card slots can be used to add additional single-ended inputs, a multi-bit DAC or a phono-stage, for 5 total inputs.
Standard outputs include single-ended and balanced pre-outs, speaker binding posts and, of course, both 4-pin XLR and 1/4" TRS headphone outputs.
I owned the original Ragnarok and enjoyed it a great deal, especially paired with the original Yggdrasil DAC. I primarily used it with more power-demanding planar headphones, where it had excellent drive.
Now I find myself wondering how this new iteration might fair as an all-on-one solution to drive the RAAL-requisite SR1a. Common sense tells me not to try it, at least not until after I’ve experimented with the dual-Aegir’s, since it’s only a bit more than half as powerful as the SR1a are specified as needing, but it’s still an intriguing (to me) idea …
Incidentally, while the site shows just two configurations to buy “just an amp” (card slots will contain single-ended inputs, for 5 inputs in total) and “fully loaded” (with the phono-stage and DAC cards installed), the individual cards can be purchased under the “Upgrades” section if you later decide to add one or the other of them.
60W vs 100W is indeed 2.2 db difference. And the expected SR1a SPL of 111 db SPL (when 100W amp is pushed to the limit) is definitely too loud for most listeners. Or, it’s just me… With 60W rated amp, we can still expect 109 db SPL at maximum. See the chart below.
I am believing it’s rather “how nicely an amp behaves around 0.15-1.1A of output current (with 6 ohm load; corresponding to 0.1 to 5 W with 8 ohm)” than “rated power with 8 ohm” that matters
Numbers above were calculated to obtain 80-100 db SPL, which in my case is actually needed (measured with my speakers and spl meter… honestly 90db spl at peak was already too loud for me).
Yeah, it’s kind of oversimplified reasoning. And excluding exceptions, in general, higher rated power is associated with what I said in #2, as “comfortable zone” of an amp can cover hotter outputs.
Anybody please correct me if (and where) I was wrong!
I’ve thought along similar lines myself … that getting them loud may not be the “problem” as such - but doing so with them under proper control and with the amplifier in its sweet spot (rather than on the ragged edge) is more important.
These things are so incredibly resolving than any unpleasantness from the amplifier (as distortion rises with output power - and more rapidly as the limits are approached) is going to be audible in cases where less capable headphones would already have their own distortion products swamping anything coming from the amp (until you got to clipping).
Now, Schiit clearly rate the Vidar conservatively, as it’s doubling its 100w power from 8 ohms into 4 ohms, so the PSU and supply capacitance is likely more than strictly needed for rated power. They’re also using a stricter THD tolerance for that measurement (lots of manufacturers still reference to 1%, not 0.01%).
Ragnarok 2 doesn’t quite double it’s 60w at 8 ohms into 4 ohms, instead it hits 100w … still very respectable, and still at the tighter THD level, but likely indicative of a bit less “reserve” in the PSU or lower thermal limits.
Best way to know for sure will be to test it, and I’ll have the ability to do that with the Aegir’s (which I will, of course, try in both stereo and dual-mono configurations anyway) ahead of with a Ragnarok 2.
I will say that at an 85 dB SPL average level a single Vidar is definitely getting warm across my normal evaluation playlist. In a 71 degree room, with ample airflow around the amp (feet of clearance on every side) the heat sinks are at 120 degrees after an hour. Which makes me thing it’s chucking out rather more than 5W-10W - I’ll have to measure and see …
I’ll be at the Schiit Show they are throwing at their office in Santa Clarita tomorrow so hopefully they have one of these on display. I’ll try and get some impressions if so.
I spent 2 months with a Rag2 with ZMF VCs before selling to get a tube amp. It is a hugely powerful amplifier. Very punchy, dynamic, spacious. It is brighter than the Asgard 2 I have, and definitely different than my tube amp. I would not suggest it with extremely efficient IEMs, it is not a dead silent amp section.
It is an excellent speaker amplifier, so you get two worlds done really well IMO.
This thread is a very interesting reading to me.
I’m thinking about a Ragnarok 2 as a point of conjunction between my Rega P3 turntable and a Innuos Zen Mini Mk3 for everything not on vinyl in my music collection (CDs and music I buy from Bandcamp). Looks like the perfect solution to put together all my music sources and power my rarely used speakers.
Thanks to all the ones who contributed the thread, it’s been very helpful.
Schiit just announced a price cut on Ragnarok 2 and moved it to the “last call” buy section on their website.
Just curious if anyone uses this as their primary headphone amp and what their impressions are? Should I snap this up at the discounted price before they are gone?
I use it for my speakers (Focal Chora) and headphones (Stealth and Stellia). I think it’s a great amplifier. A stupid amount of power for headphones, so it drives something like the Stealth with ease. It stacks nicely with the Yggdrasil as well.
Yep same here especially compared to the Schiit Mjolnir 3, which I already own. I don’t want to own 2 solid state amps.
I did some searching on Head-fi and the consensus seems to the be the Mjolnir 3 is better. But honestly I’m skeptical it is significantly different, let alone significantly better. And I don’t know the Head-fi community as well as this one, so I don’t know who actually knows what they’re talking about there.
@AudioTool, all good points. The Mjolnir sounds like an amazing product. The only knock I’ve heard is that it may not have power to drive things like Susvara or Tungsten. (Not that I have either of those but I do like to plan for the future!)
I currently have a Jot2 which I enjoy very much but I am definitely tempted to try a more powerful amp.
Yeah, the Modhouse Tungsten is probably the only reason I’m looking at the Ragnarok 2. For some strange reason I thought when I bought the Mjolnir 3 I would never want more power.
