Schiit Skoll Balanced Phono Stage Review

[Wiredforsound]

Hum problems with balanced cable connections , check your cartridge. -


Note that most plastic-body MM cartridges have a tab connecting the right return to the metal shield around the armature (such as the Shure V15 shown below), so that should be removed for best results if running fully balanced from the cartridge to phono stage. I think most people running balanced connections are using LOMC carts, but should work with any cart.

 

[markstein]

1. High-pass / LF filter cuts out way too much bass, I saw this in Amir's review, but it was still shocking to realize how much is removed. It isn't a rumble filter, it's more of a dramatic HP filter at ~100 Hz. Unusable.

This alone is a good reason not to buy a phono preamp.

There needs to be a derumble filter, and this filter needs to be implemented well, e.g. something like LR 3rd order @20-25Hz.

 

[EJ3]

Balanced wiring is a good way to minimize noise pickup and loss in cabling. There can be advantages to balanced topologies in amplification too.

However, this seems like a waste of effort with vinyl, which has a miserable SINAD. 45 dB at best, even if you reduce noise and use pristine, clean LPs. There is so much inherent distortion in vinyl playback that even if you can get a S/N better than 60 dB, you still get horrible SINAD. Hardly what anyone would consider transparent.

Some listeners apparently like the colorations.

Yes, it's bad but methinks that you are taking poetic license and exaggerating:
Vinyl typically offers 60-70db SNR, I've never seen an LP with 50db- even a good condition 78 has better signal to noise than that.
Its also important to note that the signal to noise on a record varies depending on the frequency. At 10kz, the SNR is convincingly above 75db.
That's right 75 db of dynamics on vinyl, while not probable, is possible.
In the analog world, SNR and dynamic range vary with frequency. There is no mathematical absolute like there is with digital.

 

[Thomas_A]

SINAD is difficult with vinyl and is not directly translated to that used for digital. What is 0 dBFS in vinyl?

 

[Wiredforsound]

Worried about a bass filter.
Get your turntable off the speaker.
Turn the volume down from AC/DC concert levels while having your turntable on your speakers.
If you need to "more BASS" and louder use digital formats and enjoy.

Never used the bass filter in my younger days, we still could point out the musicians in the studio space.
While not bogarting that joint my friends.

 

[markstein]

Worried about a bass filter.
Get your turntable off the speaker.
Turn the volume down from AC/DC concert levels while having your turntable on your speakers.
If you need to "more BASS" and louder use digital formats and enjoy.

Never used the bass filter in my younger days, we still could point out the musicians in the studio space.
While not bogarting that joint my friends.

I do not fully understand what you try to explain but - a well designed derumble filter is absolutely mandatory. You need to filter low frequencies which are caused by defects of the record, exciting the tonearm/cartridge resonance (typically in the 7-15 Hz range).

 

[Wiredforsound]

if you have a warped record, they make great frisbees

 

[Wiredforsound]

KAB TD-1200
Tonearm Damping System

This is how you tame warped and bass feedback for turntables.
Fluid damping.
But you need technological advanced turntable.
Silence blacker than black on quiet passages, deep empty space.
It's freaky.

KAB Electro Acoustics http://www.kabusa.com

 

[Wiredforsound]

First time I heard this blacker than black silence was in an Audio shop, a buddy who worked there wanted to let me here it on a system they had with a Oracle MKII turntable.

You could get there cheaper when Technics dropped the SL-1200 MK2 on the world.

 

[markstein]

KAB TD-1200
Tonearm Damping System

This is how you tame warped and bass feedback for turntables.
Fluid damping.
But you need technological advanced turntable.
Silence blacker than black on quiet passages, deep empty space.
It's freaky.

KAB Electro Acoustics http://www.kabusa.com

I have this damper myself and it attenuates tonearm resonance somewhat but does not defeat it completely. A derumble filter is still required.

 

[DSJR]

I am returning my Skoll. I'm disappointed with the unit I received.

1. Alarming on/off popping sound from my speakers even if my pre-amp is turned off. The only way to prevent the popping is to turn of my amps first which does not work for my setup.
2. Excessive speaker cone movement. I don't know what causes this but it seems like it would damage my speakers long term. This seems unacceptable given that using the same source (vinyl record, turntable, cartridge etc) with my other two phono stages I see only normal speaker cone vibration.
3. Sound stage is sounds smaller and less out in my space compared with my Creek Audio OBH 15 Mk 2. Obviously subjective, would need tools to make sure it's not just level matching given the differences between phono stages.
4. High-pass / LF filter cuts out way too much bass, I saw this in Amir's review, but it was still shocking to realize how much is removed. It isn't a rumble filter, it's more of a dramatic HP filter at ~100 Hz. Unusable.

Testing done on a MMF 5.1 SE w/ Hana SL cartridge.

Got to say it, but fellow Brit Michael Fidler has lf filters on his phono stages down to a very fine art! It acts way below the 40Hz cut-off point that most vinyl records are cut to and as most vinyl people these days don't seem as well-schooled as we oldies were (when vinyl was the prime source for most of us) as in matching stylus assembly compliance to tonearm effective mass. Judging by a vid I saw posted here somewhere, even Fremer didn't get it right, unless it was deliberately done to show how NOT to do it with a warped record, the pickup bouncing on the stylus suspension alarmingly.

Looking at the tests again of the Skoll, I think Jason got the low filter totally wrong for a more advanced unit. The response should be flat to 40Hz at least and then reduce markedly below 20Hz I now feel.

 

[Thomas_A]

Got to say it, but fellow Brit Michael Fidler has lf filters on his phono stages down to a very fine art! It acts way below the 40Hz cut-off point that most vinyl records are cut to and as most vinyl people these days don't seem as well-schooled as we oldies were (when vinyl was the prime source for most of us) as in matching stylus assembly compliance to tonearm effective mass. Judging by a vid I saw posted here somewhere, even Fremer didn't get it right, unless it was deliberately done to show how NOT to do it with a warped record, the pickup bouncing on the stylus suspension alarmingly.

Looking at the tests again of the Skoll, I think Jason got the low filter totally wrong for a more advanced unit. The response should be flat to 40Hz at least and then reduce markedly below 20Hz I now feel.

Yes it will severely attenuate Mahler...even at 40 hz...

 

[Wiredforsound]

I disagree.
Isn't it wonderful?

 

[Thomas_A]

I disagree.
Isn't it wonderful?

Disagree with what?

 

[S.D.M.F._Mark]

Just got my Skoll, quiet as can be. Very happy with it.

 

[JSG1469]

Mark me down for a left channel buzz. I have completed a 14 email exchange with Schitt and got a RA# for repair. Bought mine in May of 24. 1st six months were good, but last 2 months the buzz got worse. Went through the ringer answering questions about cables, grounding, type of TT, cartridges, amp and speakers. Try moving to another 110 outlet, component placement, and going to Blue Jean Cables. With the exception of switching to BJ cables I had tried all that prior to emailing them. The bottom line is my 7 year old original Fosi box, placed in the same position, using the same cables is dead silent. The Skoll at 40 db is noticable from listening chair. 50 db is very annoying. 60 db and up sounded like a mini chainsaw. It goes in the mail this morning, and anxious to hear what they say. Meanwhile, I purchased the Fosi Box 5 and I'm so impressed with it, that I may just leave it in the chain.

 

[Muddywaters]

Mine has the left channel issue as well, not generally audible at the listening position unless I'm maxed out full bore on the volume or on lifting the tonearm. Annoying! Worse at 50dB obviously. Not typically able to hear it with music, possible on some classical pieces. Unfortunately, I can see it on my ADI-2 FSR BE's display reminding me of the deficiency when using the Schitt for playback. Multiple other phono stages using the same arms nothing...

I've been using vinyl for over 50+ years so been around the block dealing with grounding and other noise issues. The cable swaps, multiple grounds wires, isolating the unit location, tonearm leads, different AC outlets blah blah blah...

I chalk it up to schitty engineering

I've got some mu metal somewhere I may try with it at the power inlet cable and may have to open her up.

 

[Muddywaters]

It goes in the mail this morning, and anxious to hear what they say.

Sorry to hear the runaround you've been through with them. Please let us know what resolution if any is provided!

btw welcome to ASR

 

[JSG1469]

Mine has the left channel issue as well, not generally audible at the listening position unless I'm maxed out full bore on the volume or on lifting the tonearm. Annoying! Worse at 50dB obviously. Not typically able to hear it with music, possible on some classical pieces. Unfortunately, I can see it on my ADI-2 FSR BE's display reminding me of the deficiency when using the Schitt for playback. Multiple other phono stages using the same arms nothing...

I've been using vinyl for over 50+ years so been around the block dealing with grounding and other noise issues. The cable swaps, multiple grounds wires, isolating the unit location, tonearm leads, different AC outlets blah blah blah...

I chalk it up to schitty engineering

I've got some mu metal somewhere I may try with it at the power inlet cable and may have to open her up.

I thought about opening mine up, but gonna give schiit a shot. From reading other forum post, they are replacing them with a new unit, stating no fix is available. We will see. I've noticed they have taken them down from Amazon.

 

[JSG1469]

Sorry to hear the runaround you've been through with them. Please let us know what resolution if any is provided!

btw welcome to ASR

Thank you. I've bought several pieces of equipment based off measurements found on this site. A very reliable website.